The Legend of Zelda - The Lost Realm
by Kerian Halcyon
Summary: Many centuries have passed since the fall of the King of Evil, and Hyrule has known an uncontested reign of relative peace and prosperity. But when a festival goes wrong thanks in no part to the help of a Dark Stranger, Link, a ranch boy of 15, must rescue his best friend Zelda from danger in an underground realm long lost to Hyrule. Rated T for violence & some suggestive themes...
1. Prologue: Legends

**The Legend of Zelda**

_The Lost Realm_

Prologue: Legends

* * *

_It is said that Hyrule is a land of myth and tale; a place of fantasy and forgotten dreams. While it is true, many legends come from this ancient land; such as the legend of the Hero of Time and the Seven Sages; and it is home to many myths as well; such as the rise of the Hylian Empire and its five thousand year rule; one cannot argue the fact that it is a land interwoven with history, superstition...and yes, even forgotten dreams._

_Long before the Kingdom of Hyrule, before the descent of the People of Hylia and the fall of Demise, there was a people that dwelled upon the surface lands called the Mogma. These ancient, mole-like people would dwell upon Hyrule for a time before descending into the deep, but to those who would brave the surface world they would speak of a time when they once lived in an ancient, sunless world; a time when there was not just one realm, but three intertwined. They spoke of a legend of a time when the world was young, before the coming of Demise, and of the legend of a Lost Realm._

_The Mogma tell tales of the first two of the three realms; the realm Above, and the realm Below. In the Above, the sun reigned supreme and the races of the Above knew of a time of plenty, but then the sun beat down harshly upon the dwellers of the Above, and forced them into hiding. Their crops died leaving only their seeds that they could use to regrow the land, but all was dry and barren; dusty and dead._

_In the Below, the people lived a life of cool solitude. There was water aplenty and none would know thirst there, and its races knew the joys of wealth and the beauties beneath. But then a famine came, and food grew scarce. They could not hope to survive, for they could not eat beauty or wealth. It seemed as if these two realms would know only hunger and thirst..._

_But then came a day when two explorers, a prince and a princess of these two lands, met each other on the road Above and Beneath. They told each other of their plight, and the two agreed; something must be done. So the Prince brought to the Below bags of seed to grow food, while the Princess brought to the Above caskets of water to tend to the thirsty. In time, the two lands peacefully weathered their shared misfortune, and all was happy again._

_But their actions angered the forces of Chaos, for while the two realms worked to bring peace back to the land a third realm was enduring the hardship and torment of war. It was from this deep realm, the Realm of Chaos, that the monsters came forth. Heralded by their dark gods, they struck out against the lands of the Above and the Below, pillaging all that they could find, enslaving those who could not escape. The peoples were scattered, hunger and thirst were known again, and all was hopeless._

_But then the day came when this would change. The Prince, now a grown man, and the Princess, a fine woman, met with the Stranger, who was a commander of the forces of Chaos. He too wished to end the suffering caused, and would side with them. Together, the three called forth the Power of the Gods, and cast out the forces of Chaos, sealing their realm away deep in the depths of the Below. The Stranger would then disappear from our world, never to return._

_The Prince and the Princess knew that though they sought unity between their people, they could never dare attract the powers of Chaos again. So they agreed; the safest course of action would be to split the realms apart forever. With the last remnant of the Power of the Gods, the Prince and Princess sealed the entrance to the Below, thus closing that realm from sunlight forever. Never again would the Below feel the sun's rays, or would the Above feel the depths' cool air. In time, the people of the Above forgot the Below, and there was just only the Above, and the realm of demons from which later Demise would arise to take his vengeance._

_So it was that many thousands of years would pass without contact between these realms. The Mogma are long gone, but they insisted that the Below existed, for they were pilgrims from that place before the pact was made. Where they went is equally a mystery, for they disappeared not long after the descent of the Hylians back to the surface world. Perhaps they found a way back to the Below, or perhaps they too are lost in legend and myth, never to return..._

_Only time will tell..._

* * *

**Kerian: **I would like to direct to any readers who happen to be currently watching me to look at my account page, because I have a special message for them there.

The short version: I'm back, and I'm here to stay. I've been writing Zelda-related fanfiction almost non-stop for the last two days straight, and the bug that once gripped me years ago that started it all has finally returned. Rest assured that the return is for real this time, and I am confident that I am sticking around. The issue that had been bugging me since my return from Egypt back to my lovely homeland in Idaho has finally been uncovered, so now I can start the quick and steady process of healing myself and becoming a new person along the way.

Sad to say, for those of you hoping on me updating my old stuff, I have bad news. The wellspring that fed many of my old projects has grown long dry, and I'm afraid that if I try to take them on now the prospect of trying to finish them will become too grim. Legacy of the Sages, Secrets of the Lost Woods, and most of my other fanfics are now officially defunct, and at a later date I will be taking them down. I am sorry. It's been a good long run, and given that all of those stories had been my primary learning experience in writing they will be sorely missed. I will be saving them on my hard drive (brand new computer, by the way, she's an absolute beaut) for future reference, but otherwise I will be taking them down. I'm not sure when that'll happen, so rest assured if you've already started on them you should be able to have time to finish up before I take them down.

I don't intend to completely erase what I wrote, however. What I wrote in the previous fanfics I have yet to finish I will retain and maybe even include in future works, such as this one you're reading right now. This means that characters you grew to love, plot elements that you enjoyed, and even bosses that were memorable and exciting to read will all be featured in upcoming stories.

...Yes, even Darin. He's not here right now; he's getting busy for later. I had to dust him off exceptionally well just to make sure that he was up and ready for the chance to perform some antics.

In any case, I'd like to thank you, all of you, for your patience and for taking the time to read this. I never expected to continue writing fanfics at 22, but as my account page indicates I have learned the hard way to never fix that which isn't broken, no matter how much people think improvement is needed. Improvement and growth can come at their own due pace. In the meantime, I ask for you to sit back and relax and enjoy the ride. I'm looking forward to your reviews.

-Kerian


	2. Chapter 1: Land of Hyrule

**The Legend of Zelda**

_The Lost Realm_

Chapter 1: Land of Hyrule

* * *

It has been three centuries since the demise of the King of Evil at the hands of the Hero of Time, and the land of Hyrule had known an uncontested time of relative peace and harmony. On the Thirty-Second Year of Golden Summers, as it was to be called by Hyrule's historians and scribes, the land of Hyrule was to know its longest summer in decades, where the sun would beat down its rays upon the world below. It was recorded that the wheat crops would be prosperous that year, and that the annual harvests would likely double due to the enormous strength of the sun.

It had been decreed that the Kingdom of Hyrule would host its annual festival that year upon the golden, wind-swept plain that was Hyrule Field, and that it would be located that year next year upon the sprawling farmland and ranch land of Lon Lon Ranch, so as to boost the ranch's profits as well as provide easy and maintained land for the building of the festival's many booths and wagons, as well as for tents and pavilions for the participants. Given the good nature between the ranch and the royal family, this would be no trouble for most of the ranch's inhabitants.

Well, most of them...

As the early sun began to break, heralding the dawn of a new day, many of the ranchers were starting to wake up early to help set up for the festival, but there was one bed still occupied by a young and lazy ranch-goer. Tucked tightly under his blankets, snoring loudly like a bear with hay fever, the boy had no intention of waking up early that warm and cozy morning. All the more reason for him to be in a foul mood when he was eventually awoken.

"BIIIIG BROOOOTHERR! Wake up! Wake up!"

The boy let out a loud, "OOF!" sound when the small body of his younger sister collided with his stomach, knocking the wind out of him. He immediately grabbed his pillow and used it as an improvised weapon, trying to knock his sister away through brute force. However, groggy as he was, he couldn't whack his nimble little sister, who had already ducked and ran to the other side of the room, laughing all the way.

"Come on, big brother!" she said, "They're starting to set up the festival grounds! Don't you want to see?"

The boy brought the pillow back over his head in an attempt to drown out the noise.

His sister giggled. She approached him cautiously, eyeing the pillow carefully, before reaching out and poking him in the back in a not-so-gentle-way. This brought about a series of growls before the pillow came again only to strike the air as she ran off, giggling with unrestrained mischievous glee.

The boy finally sat up, his blonde hair a mess from his efforts in trying to fall back to sleep. He glared at his sister through sleepy eyes. She managed to keep herself appearing all innocent and childish, though the glint in her eye spoke of her barely restrained desire to continue tormenting him. The boy growled and crossed his arms.

"Malon," he groaned, "Dad said we didn't have to help today, I was trying to get some sleep!"

Malon giggled and shook her head wildly, causing her red hair to wave about all over the place. "No excuses. Come on, you'll have a fun time. I heard that some of the townsfolk were coming early to watch the proceedings!"

The boy growled and threw his pillow at his sister who quickly ducked away back out his door. "Don't forget to wash up this time, Link!" she shouted as she ran off, giggling.

The boy growled and rubbed his eyes. Trust his sister to make a mess of a morning for him. But now that he was up there was a good chance he wouldn't be able to fall asleep again.

_Guess I'd better get up_, he said to himself.

Stretching his arms and shoulders, he slowly began to get out of bed and stripped off his pajamas. Making his way to his dresser, he began to fill the wash basin up and proceeded to get his hands and face wet before straightening his hair out. Looking in the mirror, he was far less the messy boy he had woken up as and looked more like the young man he liked people to see.

Link was the oldest of three in Lon Lon Ranch, son of Talon and his wife Marian, both accomplished ranchers who grew up on the ranch together. The two owned the ranch and cared for it with immense pride, for it was one of the most successful ranches in the entire countryside...if not _the_ most successful. Over the course of their 20 year period of caring for the ranch they had their three children; Link, the oldest at 14 going quickly on 15 later that month; Malon, who was 13 years old and often described as the apple in her father's eye; and Colin, the youngest at 5 and the boy of little words.

Some say that Link took more after his mother's side than his dad's, while others said that he took after one of his dad's earliest ancestors said to have lived and worked on the Ranch long ago, because he didn't look much like either. Almost 15, he was taller than his dad ever was at his age, with a much different build; with longer legs built for running rather than for lifting heavy weights. He had dirty-blonde hair with some slight streaks of light brown which made many think he shared his mother's looks, but despite that there were no blondes on her side of the family. What he did have in common with them all was his eyes; a startlingly sharp blue in color. And he supposedly had his mother's singing voice, which he was rather embarrassed about sharing.

Link quickly got dressed into some overalls and a shirt; a red one a lot like his dad's. Many often looked at his garb and would compare him at least in this way to his father, Talon, who always appeared to wear the same red shirt and the same blue overalls. Link often found it funny, but he knew that the look suited him. As a rancher-in-training, he would need the overalls to keep his legs protected as he put himself often in rather dirty situations tending to cattle, sheep, and the many plants needed to maintain the ranch's way of life.

Of course, something inside of him also felt that the look seemed a little off. There was a part of him that secretly liked the idea of leaving the ranch to become a fighter or a sellsword instead of a rancher. He even went so far as to secretly try to teach himself basic swordsmanship, using a stick for a sword and a shield he built out of discarded old fence wood he cobbled together with a leather strap for a hand-hold. He never told his parents this, of course, because he knew what they thought of that kind of thing. The only people he did tell was his close friends and his little sister. For once, she managed to keep a big secret of his from his parents...so long as he could help teach her too.

As Link finally put on his boots and set up the finishing touches of his outfit, the tiredness of the morning began to wear off. He looked at himself in the mirror with some semblance of pride. Sure, he wanted to follow his wanderlust, as his mother once put it, but he didn't mind being a rancher either. And if he couldn't be one, he could at least try to take part in the other as best as he could.

"LiiiiIIIiink! Come on, they've started already!"

Link rolled his eyes. "Coming, squirt!" he shouted back.

"And don't call me squirt, cucco-legs!"

Link chuckled under his breath before walking out his bedroom door.

* * *

The arrival of the 32nd Golden Summer was predicted a long time ago by astronomers and historians reading upon Hyrule's history, and as such plans for a festival to be held out in the open summer fields had been made for a long time. Five years ago, the King of Hyrule approached Talon of Lon Lon Ranch and requested an area of land to be rented and set up to act as fairgrounds so as to celebrate the coming summer months. Throughout that time, Talon had his best men flattening much of the land and readying regions for the establishment of booths, tents, pavilions, and fence poles so that when the day came there would be less hustle and bustle in building the actual event.

Even now, ranchers had quickly begun setting up the basic foundations for many of the booths, establishing boundaries and setting up temporary fences made of rope and stout, hardened wood poles. Atop many of these were brackets for torches, ensuring that there would be plenty of light available throughout the evening hours as the festival would continue. Troughs were brought in to water and feed horses, extra wagons were pulled up in the event one of the travel wagons needed a repair or became too busted to move, and even a massive pole built out of the felled trunk of a tall pine tree was brought in to place the flags and streamers at the center of the festival.

When Link and Malon arrived, having ridden aboard one of the many wagons carrying supplies to and fro from the fairgrounds, much of the construction was already in full swing and many of the vendors were starting to arrive. There were also several wagons full of travelers; families of the vendors coming to help out before the celebration, as well as some merchants likely coming to look at the wares of the Ranch early before the best prizes are auctioned off or sold at the festival itself; each arriving and settling themselves in a designated area where the horses and oxen could be untied, fed, and well rested away from the main crowds.

Link hopped off of the wagon with his sister close behind. The two siblings were raised well by their parents, so they were careful to keep their distance from the work to ensure that they wouldn't be in the way. They kept to the sidelines as they watched the men go hard at work, busying themselves hammering nails into temporary wooden floors for stages, using giant mallets to bury the fence posts into the ground, or otherwise herding the travelers and guiding them to where they could pitch up their tents.

Malon was distracted with the crowd, introducing herself to many of the people that arrived; especially if they were her age. Link felt an internal sigh of relief. With her off of his back, there was a chance he could find a good quiet spot to go relax, maybe even hitch a ride back into the ranch, or-

A pair of dainty hands covered his eyes, holding them tightly over his face. He nearly flipped, thinking it was Malon. But he soon realized it wasn't his sister when he recognized that voice.

"Guess who, ranch boy!"

Link practically beamed like the sun after a rainy day. He grabbed the hands and flipped himself about. There, standing in a traveler's cloak and garb, wearing a hood over her head, stood his best friend in the whole world.

"Zelda!" Link began to shout, but her hand quickly went over his mouth.

"Shush," she whispered, "Would you be quiet? If people find out I came early, there'd be a crowd, and I'll never get a moment's peace around here!"

Link blushed. "Sorry," he whispered as soon as her hand was off of him. "What are you doing here? I thought you wouldn't arrive until tomorrow!"

Zelda smiled. "I got permission from my father to show up today, so that I could get a chance to hang out. Tomorrow there'd be so much pop and ceremony that I wouldn't be able to get away. Father didn't want me to feel left out, so he said I could come."

"That's great!" Link said. He quickly began to look around. "Wait...you didn't come here all by yourself, did you?"

Zelda chuckled. "You're still as dense as ever," she said, shaking her fingers through his messy hair in an un-princess-like fashion, "Impa's not that far off, keeping an eye on me, and most of the men who came along in our wagon came from the royal palace. They were going to talk with your father and help discuss about the security plans set up for the festival tomorrow."

"Well...that's a relief, I guess," Link began looking over his shoulder to see if Zelda's older nursemaid and personal bodyguard, Impa, was nearby in some sort of disguise. Impa was a Sheikah, one of the last of her order, who had been hired by the king to watch after the young princess after her mother had passed away. Impa was very protective of the young girl and for good reason; having no child of her own, she looked after the princess as if she was her own daughter; watching her like a hawk every step of the way. Link knew from experience that if the stealth-trained woman wouldn't be able to be seen if she didn't want people looking, but it didn't hurt to be a little paranoid.

Zelda's chuckle and her sudden hug brought him back to the immediate reality of his best friend. He blushed furiously before very awkwardly trying to hug her back. Every time they hugged, Link always felt very careful; she always felt so dainty and light that he feared crushing her in his rugged, ranch-raised grip. He always felt much more relaxed when they finished hugging.

"I missed you, Link," Zelda said quietly, her smile still on her face, "I'm glad we can spend this time together."

Link blushed again. "A-a-anything you want, Zelda...that's game with me."

Zelda giggled, playfully punching Link in the shoulder as she did.

There was a loud gasp followed by a quick dash of small feet before the friendly moment between the two of them came to an end. Malon's small but powerful body quickly separated the two of them as she gripped Zelda in a powerful hug. Link was practically knocked out of the way from the surprising jolt as his sister wormed her way in to steal his best friend's attention.

"Ohmygoshohmygoshohmygosh!" Malon squealed, "Zelda! It's so good to see you!"

Zelda giggled and hugged Malon back, patting her shoulder fondly. "It's good to see you too, Malon. Are those new shoes? They look great on you!"

"Not as good as your princess high heels, surely!"

Link rolled his eyes. This is usually where he manages to lose Zelda; at the girl talk. Even though Zelda was his best friend Malon always found a way to connect with the princess in ways Link couldn't begin to imagine. He guessed that it must have been a girl thing, though he never actually had seen anyone else behave the same way before these two...

The hairs on the back of his neck began to slowly rise as if he was being jolted by static electricity. Right away he knew that Impa, Zelda's bodyguard, was right behind him. Link took a step forward and turned to see her; she was dressed in a traveler's cloak, much like Zelda, but she was far more covered in it so as to hide her rugged nature...and perhaps the couple dozen or so blades and knives she kept handy. Impa's eyes always looked at Link in a prying, judging sort of way as if she was trying to see what he would look inside. It always gave him the creeps.

"Now, now, Malon," she said, "Let's not play rough. Someone might get hurt." By someone, of course, she meant the princess.

Malon's attention quickly turned to the Sheikah. In a flash, she had stopped hugging Zelda and quickly embraced the older woman as if forgetting the princess already. Impa's look of surprise was an obvious one to say the least; almost enough to make Link stifle a chuckle. Zelda giggled under he breath.

"It's good to see you, Lady Impa," Malon said happily, "We never get to see you anymore! I missed you!"

Impa awkwardly began patting Malon on the shoulder, obviously uncomfortable and unused to the attention. "It's good to see you too, Malon." She turned back to Link, her awkwardness gone as she looked him square in the eye, "Where is your father? I need to speak with him in regards to our early arrival. It is very likely unexpected."

Link gulped, trying not to show his discomfort. "He's in the barn house, taking inventory," he replied.

Impa nodded. She gently but very easily removed herself from Malon's embrace and nodded her head low to the princess. "I take my leave."

Zelda bowed her head in turn. With that, Impa was off; making her way up the path towards the ranch grounds.

As soon as she was well out of earshot, the three burst out laughing. Zelda was nearly on the ground in tears. Link had to put his hands on his knees as the blood began to rush to his head from the excitement.

"Did you see the look on Impa's face?" Zelda asked through fits of giggling, "Malon, I swear, she's been through so many hardened battles but I bet she'd take them all again if only to withstand your hugs in public!"

Malon giggled, gasping for air in between her own fits of laughter. "Well, someone's got to eventually put a smile on Lady Impa's face."

Link got up, rubbing at one of his eyes as he did. "We'd better go find something to do before she gets back."

Zelda nodded quickly. "Come on, show me around! It's been years since I've been here and I want to see what's changed!"

* * *

Link, Zelda, and Malon spent the rest of the day together at the ranch. The siblings showed their friend all the new things she may have missed; the new cucco pen and the young chicks that just hatched earlier that month, as well as the renovation to the stables and the new grain silo built just beside the two old ones on the northeastern corner of the property. Zelda thoroughly enjoyed herself. Life on the ranch was so much different than life in the castle that for most it would be almost too much to take in, but Zelda took to it like she was born to it. She even held one of the baby cuccos and laughed when it got spooked from one of the dogs barking and soiled her cloak. It didn't take much to clean up afterward, thank goodness. Link realized that Impa likely would have a fit.

As they hung out on the ranch, many of the ranch hands took glances in their direction. Likely they were informed by their dad after Impa arrived to take stock on security in the ranch. Of course, Talon would have told them to be discreet, but nobody could blame the excitement in their eyes. After all, it's rare enough that the ranch gets visited by royalty, much less the Crown Princess of Hyrule herself.

As the day wore on, Link and Malon's mother, Marian, made for their guests a dinner so great that Link had to stop himself before he could get his fourths he was so full. Zelda as well ate to her heart's content, and despite Impa's insistence upon her following protocol eventually she relented. It was a rare treat being able to spend time with friends outside of the castle, rarer still to be allowed to behave like commoners. Link couldn't help but overhear Impa mention, "good practice for when she's tasked to perform duties outside of the castle," before he and the two girls left to go explore the fairgrounds again.

The fairgrounds had grown quite a bit since they had left it during its construction. The vendors had all finished arriving and were readying their wares for the festival that following day. Already a few of them were getting attention as the early travelers and ranch hands began to examine the goods, seeing which one would be the best pick of the crop before the festival would begin that following day.

Zelda, Link, and Malon began examining the stalls and seeing their wares. Each booth was more extravagant than the last. Shell jewelry from the distant seas, scrolls brought from the great libraries in the Arbiter's Grounds, weapons of exotic design and appearance, and enough clothes to outfit an entire army in dashing new outfits.

Many of the booths also included games that could be played in order to win prizes. The three each played in a few of them, though the prizes themselves were restricted for the following day. It didn't stop the three of them from trying; fishing for Octoroks, the ball toss, and knock-over-the-bottles were all in the lineup, and each was just as exciting as the one before.

They hadn't gotten that far from the end when Zelda caught Link's attention to one game in particular. The game wasn't too exciting; a mock archery range where the player had to be given a dummy bow and shoot one of three targets. Each target had a prize based on where one managed to make their mark; shooting the first red ring would get a basic prize like a trinket or a candy, the second ring a more valuable item, while a bulls-eye would earn a grand prize.

Link didn't look too interested in it, but Zelda insisted because of the grand prize for the final and furthest target; a set of clothes Link's size; a matching outfit that consisted of a green adventurer's tunic, green boots, a white pair of traveler's trousers, and an odd-looking cap to go over the top. All in all, the gear looked incredibly flashy to the young rancher's boy.

"Link, you have GOT to play this one!" Zelda begged.

"Why? It's just an archery range."

But Link had a feeling that he knew why. Before he knew it, Zelda had dragged him to the front of the booth and was getting the vendor's attention.

"Sir! Sir...is that suit the grand prize for winning this game?"

The man looked up from his work. He appeared to be an odd sort; an elderly man with a beak-like nose and covered in dust. His outfit was stylized after what looked like a bird, feathers and all, except that the feathers were so old that they became gray and many were falling off of his person. He shook off some of the dust from himself and approached the two would-be customers.

"Aye, that adventuring tunic's the grand prize," he said in a gruff, squeaky voice that did not match his size or character in the least bit, "Why do you ask, miss?"

"Can we play to win it? Please? I'll pay double the fare, triple!"

The old man guffawed loudly. Link looked at her in surprise. It wasn't like Zelda to actually beg for something. Whatever those clothes were they must have been very important.

"Miss, I don't know if you've noticed, but there's not a big crowd today and the festival doesn't start until tomorrow. If you want the prize, you have to wait and win it tomorrow like everyone else."

Zelda looked crestfallen at first, but that moment of disappointment disappeared pretty quickly. Link spotted a very familiar and, to him, unwelcome gleam in her eye. Zelda was planning something.

"How about I find a way to...persuade you to reconsider?"

The old man lifted an eyebrow. "I'm a bit old for that kind of talk, and you're a bit young to be flaunting that about like that, miss. What makes you think that you can convince me?"

_Don't,_ Link muttered quietly. _Impa will freak._

But Zelda already made up her mind. One of her gloves which carefully hid her dainty hands while out and about came off, revealing a very carefully hidden ring beneath. The ring was gold and inlaid with several jewels, but the jewels were tiny and did nothing to discourage the viewer from looking at the sapphire in its center; a sapphire with inlaid gold set in the royal crest of Hyrule, Zelda's personal ring of royal recognition.

One look almost made the old man's jaw drop. Almost. He then locked his jaw in tightly and very carefully approached her, giving her a very stern glare.

"Listen, you're ladyship," the man said very quietly under his breath, "That's a very poor way of setting an example for your future leadership...You are royalty and the crown princess, but I do not take demands. If you want the prize that bad, then you'll have to do better than flaunt a pretty ring."

"That wasn't why I pulled it out, good sir," Zelda said, equally quiet, her voice much more serious than the happy-go-lucky girl that she was not five minutes ago, "It's the object of a deal I will make with you if you are willing."

The old man looked very carefully on both sides of his stall before leaning in closer. "I'm listening."

"I offer you a bet. If my champion cannot strike the bulls-eye of your longest target with your bow, you keep this ring and my pardon as Crown Princess. If he does, we get the suit. You won't go empty handed; I will see to it that my bodyguard will provide you with the gold needed to replace your wares. Either way, it's a win-win scenario for you. Do we have a deal?"

The old man chuckled. "Those rags really mean that much to you?" he asked.

Zelda nodded.

He smiled and took Zelda's outstretched hand. "Done. You make a very terrifying negotiator, milady...we'll have to see how that plays out when you're queen."

The old man instructed her to place her ring on the table, which he carefully put in a closed jar to make sure she didn't steal it back. He went out to the back of his stall and grabbed one short-bow and three arrows with differently marked fletching. The bow's drawstring was loose enough that it couldn't be used at maximum range for its size, but still tight enough that one could make the shot at the far end of the range if they were lucky enough. Some of the fletchings on the arrows were also oddly crooked, making shooting all that harder the further the distance.

"The thing about that suit is that it isn't winnable by just shooting one target," the old man said, "You have to shoot all three targets, and get a bulls-eye on each. If you get the white or any of the other rings, you lose your own ring. If you get all three...the suit's yours."

He put the bow and arrows on the table, lining the arrows carefully for easy reach.

"Now," he said, "Where's your champion?"

Link had been in shock for most of the discussion between the his best friend and the old man, unable to comprehend just how difficult this challenge was, not to mention the consequences if, and quite possibly even _when_, they would fail. But he knew full well where things were going and it had taken a step too far.

Link pulled Zelda aside for a moment and glared at her. "Zelda," he said, "I can't believe you're doing this! It's bad enough that you practically flashed to the world who you were in a public place with no guards, but now you're going to give up your royal seal; THE royal seal; for a dumb outfit?! You can't do this!"

Zelda's look was not that of someone who was undergoing a great thrill or having the time of her life, but it was very serious. She put a hand on his shoulder; the gloveless one that once held her ring. He could feel the bare skin of her first and second finger against his neck, and it nearly made him shudder for a moment. He almost couldn't look into those eyes of hers, but he did despite his growing anxiety.

"Link, please," his best friend whispered, "I need you to do this for me. You're the only one who can do it."

"I've only shot a bow once in my life, and that was when I was five years old!"

"Link, please...if you do this, then...then..."

Link looked at her quizzically. She was biting her lip; she only did that when she was nervous.

"Then what?" he asked.

Zelda bit her lip for a moment, then she approached and whispered in his ear. What she said made him drop his jaw in shock. She was crazy. Yes, she had to be crazy. She had to be tricking him, it was just another one of her's and Malon's tricks, like when they were younger...

Still...if she really did mean that...and if she really DID pull through with it...Of course, the only way she would is if he won...but what if he did?

"Link," Zelda whispered, "You _must_...do this for me."

Link sighed. What did he have to lose in this anyway?

He nodded.

He and Zelda approached the vendor again just as he was about to examine the ring for himself. He smiled politely and put it back into the jar before crossing his arms patiently.

"Well? Who's your champion?"

Link gulped. This was it, no turning back now.

"I'm her champion," he said in as gallant a voice as he could. He couldn't help but notice he sounded exactly how he felt; terrified and full of goosebumps.

"Well then, step right up and claim your reward! Only the finest shot can receive the finest prize!"

Link stepped up to the booth. He picked up the bow, testing it in his hand. The string was a lot more loose than he would have liked, but beggars couldn't be choosers. He grabbed the first arrow, one with red feathers on the end, and drew it back; eyeing his target.

The shot would have went wide were it not for luck. The fletching was crooked enough to guide its movement, and the arrow hit the first target with a loud thud.

"Bulls-eye," the old man grunted, "You just earned yourself a fancy mug. Something you could drink to once this is over."

Link shrugged off the man's bantering. He knew what he was doing; trying to disrupt him, unhinge his emotions. He knew better than to give in.

Link took the next arrow and pulled back, taking careful aim as he did. He nearly did not have enough power in this one, but the shot he made was tilted enough that when it landed with a thud, it was just barely in the red dot. The blue feathers quivered against the target, the arrow sunk in dangerously shallow.

"Another bull-eye," the man said, "Those two were easy. The last one's a tough bird to hit."

Link didn't want to admit it but the old man was right. The first target was barely ten feet away from the podium where he stood, while the second one was three feet further back from that one and to the right. The last one was dead center, at least 30 feet away, and smaller. It would take a miracle to hit it.

Link wanted to give up. He was scared of failing. What if he missed the shot? How would Zelda take this? What would his parents say about it or, worse yet, Impa? She'd be in such a state she might just banish Link from ever visiting Zelda ever again. He wanted desperately to escape. He wanted to go somewhere and hide until the smoke cleared. He wanted to...

He looked back at Zelda. Her hands were clasped together and her eyes were looking straight into his. They were beautiful, crystal blue eyes that sparkled like starlight. And right now, they were filled with hope.

No. He could do this. He had to. Zelda was depending on him.

When Link was five years old, she depended on him once again to scare off a Guay that was about to kill her kitten, which was stuck in a tree. Zelda had grabbed the nearest thing available and found an old bow with a quiver nearby and handed it to Link. They were both five years old, and it was the first time they met each other after Link's dad made his annual trip to the castle to give his yearly harvest report to the king. Zelda had that exact same look in her eyes. They were both very young, and both very innocent and carefree. But Zelda was depending on him that day.

And so Link, at five years old, barely able to hold a stick without stumbling, did the impossible. His arrow pinned that Guay to the castle wall.

Link pulled back on the short bow. A decade had passed, and again Zelda depended on him. He wasn't going to let her down yet.

He took aim, drew the arrow back as far as he could without stressing the bow further than it was, and loosed.

A green-feathered arrow hit the target, 30 feet away, dead in its center.

* * *

Needless to say when Impa found out about their antics from an excited Malon, she was more than angry at them. She was outraged. She went on to lecture Zelda on the etiquette and morals of royalty, of the importance of her image and how it would reflect her in the future. Link wasn't spared either; he was scolded by both Impa _and_ his parents, who both reprimanded him about his lack of responsibility and his potentiality of getting themselves caught and the princess in danger.

Despite everything, neither party could find them at fault. They succeeded in their endeavor and won their prize, and walked away with Zelda's ring intact and safe, leaving behind a moderately happy vendor with a promise of a sack of rupees with his name on it for his troubles. The lecture was enough, and both were free to go and ready themselves for bed that night.

The moment they were away Zelda had dragged Link back into his room and began to dress him up in the tunic. Link was rather embarrassed by it all; after all, they were the same age and were just about to turn 15; but he knew that it couldn't be helped. Thankfully she turned away when he changed into the trousers, but otherwise she was completely adamant that she help get it on, almost like a mother hen with her chicks.

Everything felt very weird as he put it on; nothing at all like the soft, silky cloth that he was used to seeing come from the castle that many of the nobles and their servants wore. Everything felt all bunched up inside and it took a while for them to straighten out a lot of it as they got it on him. Of the ensemble, the hat had to be the easiest to put on, while everything else took at least two or three different tries to pull on correctly.

Finally it was finished, and Zelda sized the strapping young man up. Link looked at himself in the mirror and thought he looked ridiculous in the outfit he had on. He had never seen so much green on one person before, let alone himself; not unless that person was sick and needed a bucket or something. He did have to admit that everything fit really well, and that it did look good together; the white pants; really a very white-green instead of completely white; were a good enough color to keep himself from blending in too well with anything remotely as green as he was like the grass or some trees. The cap looked good too; it did justice to the whole ensemble.

Zelda looked him over for what felt like probably the eleventh time before she finally said something. "Wait here, I'll be right back."

Link rolled his eyes as she walked out the door of his room. He stood there looking at himself in the mirror. The longer he did, the less he felt like the person in the mirror looked like a goofball and the more...oddly enough, _right_ that person looked. Still, he couldn't get over the fact that he had a cap that looked like someone had cut the end off of a Zora's head-tail and dyed it green. Was all of this really worth it? He had been asking himself that since earlier that evening.

As he examined himself, he suddenly noticed something a little odd about his outfit. He began examining it closely, feeling the seams and the pockets now that he had a chance to thoroughly look it over. He noticed that the belt that came with the outfit had several loops which faced vertical so that they were in the opposite direction as the loops attached to the tunic, likely to keep from confusion as he'd thread the belt through them. He also had several pockets, many hidden in the unlikeliest of places, throughout his person. It was then that he realized that the reason why the tunic felt so weird when he put it on wasn't because it was just made of cloth. It had leather padding underneath.

This tunic, as weird as it looked, was perfectly fitted for adventuring!

There was a knock on his door. Zelda poked her head inside.

"Link, I want you to turn around and close your eyes."

Link looked confused. "What for?"

"I want to surprise you. Just do what I say."

Link chuckled as he turned around. "You aren't naked, are you?"

"Just close your eyes, farm boy. I'll tell you when to open them."

Link did as he was told. Zelda's footsteps echoed on the wooden floorboards as she walked in and closed the door behind her, clicking it shut. He could hear the ruffling of clothes before she took a deep breath and finally spoke up in a tiny voice.

"You can look now."

Link turned around and opened his eyes...and, almost immediately, his jaw dropped to the floor.

The young lady that stood before him looked almost completely different compared to the princess that had snuck her way to her best friend's ranch to have fun before formalities were to take her over. She was wearing a dress that looked a lot like one of the party dresses his mother wore when she was a young lady herself, with frocks at the end and very cute frills at the ends of the sleeves. It was cream in color, and had patterns of red that caught the eye and drew attention to her person. Her hair, once tied in a bun to keep hidden in her cloak, was now all the way down; beautiful, long, golden-blonde hair that extended down her neck and past her shoulders. Even her traveling shoes were gone, replaced instead by a pair of nice heels similar to those used by common women and young ladies; cheap by royal standards, but expensive and beautiful by those who lived outside of Castle Town. The only part of Zelda's outfit which reminded him of her usual princess-self was the ring on her left finger bearing the royal seal; the same ring they nearly lost in a bet for Link's tunic.

It took Zelda's blushed smirk and her giggle for Link to realize that he still had his mouth open and he quickly closed it. He was still dumbstruck, however, by her appearance.

"W-w-wow, Zelda," he finally managed to say after taking a deep gulp of air, "That looks...amazing..."

Zelda blushed again, but this time didn't giggle. "Your mom said this belonged to her grandmother and said I could try it on...I wanted to see what it would look like if I wore it."

She walked up towards the mirror, standing beside Link so that they could both look into it. Link suddenly felt uncomfortable inside, as if something was gripping his insides tightly.

Zelda stared at the mirror for a little while, looking herself up and down in it. "I envy you, you know," she finally said, "You and your sister. You both have such exciting lives...I can't help but wonder what it would be like to walk in your shoes for more than a day."

"What are you talking about?" Link asked, "You're the lucky one, Zelda. You've got everything; a castle to call home, more food than you can eat on a daily basis, servants waiting hand and foot on your every whim. And you call us lucky?"

"Link, my luxury comes at a great cost," she replied, twisting the ring on her finger as she did, "There's high expectations for me at the castle and at court. Many of the girls my age in court laugh behind my back at the idea that I have commoners for friends; they laugh at our friendship, Link, as if it was wrong..."

"They just don't know what they're missing, then."

"Then there's the fact that I'm the Crown Princess...and all the Goddesses-forsaken training they put me through. Did you know they make girls my age balance books on our heads to practice wearing oversized headdresses for when we do dinner parties and fancy balls and the like...things they expect us to dance and move about quickly with. And it's worse for me; I get extra weights because on top it all I'm expected to wear a crown! Well, I'd take caring for cuccos and carrying the milk from cows over something as silly as that any day."

Link sighed. He wished he could tell her that it wasn't as simple as that. Life was no picnic for commoners either. On years of plenty like the one they were experiencing now, everyone would be fine, but when a famine comes it is often the ones tending to the breadbaskets that get hit the hardest. Link had been in a three month famine before, and it wasn't pretty. Malon nearly died of malnutrition that year, and his mother was incredibly sick still being pregnant with Colin. If it wasn't for Zelda's intervention to help save their family friends, and for the rains that came later that month to help restart the growth of food and plants, things likely would have become a lot worse than they already did.

But Link knew for a fact that, when Zelda had her mind set on something, no amount of convincing could tell her off. So, he kept his peace. Let her dream if she wanted to.

He nearly jumped when he felt Zelda's hand close over his. He looked down to see her, wrapping her arms around his, looking at them both in the mirror. Link follows his gaze. For a moment, his outfit didn't look so goofy anymore.

"Link...if we lived different lives than we do now...do you think we could still be friends?"

"Of...of course we could, Zelda...why would you ask that?"

Zelda was no longer smiling. She leaned against his arm and looked distantly at the mirror. "..I was...just curious, that's all..."

Link noticed that he no longer felt so uncomfortable anymore. Zelda's hand felt so soft and dainty in his own; an almost polar opposite of hers, already rugged and starting to grow calluses through constant play and hard work throughout his youth. Despite this, she didn't seem to mind, and even seemed to hold his hand just a bit...tighter.

Link noticed that Zelda was no longer looking at the mirror. He looked at her. Her eyes, still glistening like pools under starlight, were looking straight into his. Her golden hair looked like a pool of radiance drifting from her head. Her skin looked so soft, and she was blushing like a peach. Link began to realize that he wasn't seeing her just simply as a friend anymore, or as just an ordinary girl...

"Link," Zelda whispered, her eyes starting to drift closed, "I...owe you a kiss, don't I?"

Link's heart began racing faster and faster. He had no idea what to do. What if he screwed up? He never kissed a girl before in his life; no one except his mom, on occasion when he was younger, and she didn't count. Moms never do. What if he gagged like a fish, what if...

There was a knock on the door, and Malon swiftly opened it and tumbled inside.

"Hey Zelda, Impa wanted me to come look for you!" she said as she skipped past the bed and looked herself in the mirror like putting on a show for some imaginary boy, "She said that the guest room's ready and you're gonna be up bright and early tomorrow, so you need your beauty sleep...something wrong?"

In the short time it took for Malon to open the door, Link and Zelda had dashed to opposite corners of the room quicker than rats to a cat's meow. Both of them were looking away from each other; Link with his hands behind his back, kicking at dust, Zelda with one hand on her arm clinging tightly; both blushing a deep, beet red. Malon hadn't caught on what they nearly did, and that was likely the best thing that could have happened for either of them.

"Nothing, Malon," Zelda said, "Tell Impa I'll be there in a short while, okay?"

"Okay," Malon said, any curiosity she may have had gone in a flash. She quickly skipped out the door back to her room, humming a song along the way as she did.

Link and Zelda both let out a huge sigh of relief. They both looked at each other, and both of them laughed. But they didn't laugh too loud or too long. It was likely that both knew that the feelings they nearly experienced with each other were very real, though neither would admit it openly...at least, not to each other.

"You'd...better get going before Impa starts looking for you," Link said nervously.

"Y-yeah," Zelda replied, "I'll...guess I'll change in the guest room..."

Link watched her slowly go out the door. He wanted to follow her, to at least give her a hug like they always did when they were kids, just to confirm that, feelings aside, they were still friends. He wanted to...but he couldn't. He was a young boy, but he wasn't stupid; living a life as a best friend to royalty taught him that it was not the wisest idea to mix that which was noble and common together.

It didn't change the fact that it hurt inside.

Before he could react, Zelda quickly dove back into the room. He was enveloped in likely the biggest hug she had ever given him in their lives. It nearly knocked the wind out of him, too.

He didn't hesitate at all to hug back. He felt like a massive weight had lifted off of his shoulders and that a vise had let go of his stomach, which had twisted itself in a knot in the short time Zelda nearly left. Royalty or not, they were still friends.

He felt a peck on his cheek, followed by a little giggle. "See you tomorrow, farm boy!"

Link's heart skipped a beat as Zelda quickly made her way back to the guest room where she would be sleeping for the night. With a tremendous sigh, he dropped onto his bed and lay flat on his back, gazing at the stars. Nothing could draw Zelda's beautiful face away from his mind that night, nor the kiss she placed on his cheek.

Was it worth it? Close enough...

To be continued...

* * *

**Kerian:** 8,089 words...that's how much the word count on Open Office said I wrote. I have to say that simply stating that I'm proud of myself would be a very gross understatement.

You guys have got to understand; I've only been writing in bits and pieces between 3-6 pages in length for the past several months, never the same subject for more than a week. The fact that not only have I managed to get back into gear and sustainably write a full chapter, much less one of the same quality standards I've written for this site, is phenomenal to me.

Man does it feel good to be back.

Anyway, so I know what you're all going to say; you expected me to pair Link with Malon, especially since I'm such a big LinkxMalon shipper. Yeah, I thought I was gonna too...but then I realized I wanted to take this in a different direction. Besides, I like the idea of Malon being a quirky, easily over-excited little sister. She seemed to be that kind of girl (pre-adult Link) whenever I was at the ranch way back in the day. And given that I am an older brother with three younger sisters, I can tell you for a fact that there's a point in time when ALL girls are like that (just like there's a time when us guys are completely annoying to the point of considering them less desirable than bubonic plague...one of my sibs is going through that phase right now. *shudders*).

I hope you guys enjoyed that, more to come; most definitely. Rest assured that, just because there's some teen romance there won't be short of action. Just wait until next chapter and you'll see what I mean.

Until next time, me out!

-Kerian


	3. Chapter 2: Swords and Strangers

**The Legend of Zelda**

The Lost Realm

Chapter 2: Swords and Strangers

* * *

_You're in danger...you're in terrible danger..._

_He was in a dark place. Shadows clung to the walls all around him. A voice kept whispering in his head._

_...terrible danger..._

_Something was looming in the darkness. He instinctively pulled out his weapon; a long, double-edged sword. He pulled out his shield and prepared himself for battle, and..._

_...He realized he didn't own a sword, or a shield. He was defenseless!_

_The monster loomed in closer, its jaws agape and its claws extended out towards him, ready to tear him to shreds. He tried to back away, but he was cornered. The thing was getting closer, and closer, and closer towards him. Its eyes were the only things that lit up the gloom; a pair of terrifying-looking, pupilless orbs that swayed wildly in a terrible dance. It then leaned in close, its breath hot and disgustingly wet against his face, and spoke..._

"_It's time to wake up..."_

* * *

Link awoke with a start, his head drenched in what felt like cold sweat. It was about an hour after daybreak, and already the sun had begun to climb up towards his bedside window. His sheets were a mess, having looked like he had been tossing and turning all night.

And that dream...that nightmare...

Link had never, ever felt something like that before in his life. It felt so real, so intense...his heart was still pounding because of it. Normally he could shrug it off, but this...this was worse than the nightmares he would get when he was five.

What topped it all off was that voice. He...recognized it from somewhere. He didn't know who, he didn't know from where, and he couldn't even pinpoint who it belonged to even now. But he knew that he did...and that's what really scared him.

As he sat up and began to rub his head from the stress, he felt something fall onto his chest. He looked down; someone had put a note on his person while he was asleep. Looking around suspiciously to see if anyone was hiding in his closet or had left the door open to peek in later, he slowly opened the note and gave it a read...

* * *

_Dear Link,_

_Yesterday was incredible and I can't thank you and Malon enough. It's always great being able to visit with you guys. I really wish we could do it more often, responsibilities aside..._

_However, as per usual, it's time for me to dress up the part to please father and the rest of my family at court. But if you don't mind I'd like you to wear the outfit we won today and maybe come and see me and my father later. I have a feeling he will take a liking to your new appearance...maybe enough to surprise you._

_Here's to the festival. When it's done, try and see if you can come visit me at the castle again the next time you can. I want to be able to hang out with you for as long as I can._

_Yours truly,_

_Zelda, Princess of Hyrule_

_P.S. Hope your cheek didn't grow a sore last night._

* * *

When he got to the last line of the letter he blushed. Instinct made him feel his cheek where Zelda had kissed him the night before. When he noted that nothing sore was there, he smiled and shook his head. Count on Zelda to get him paranoid like that.

He folded the letter away and put it in one of his drawers in his nightstand. Getting into his closet he began to examine the outfit that Zelda convinced him to win for her. In daylight, it looked a lot more impressive than under the light of candles and the moon outside. Visible leather padding on the shoulders gave it a bit more of an appearance of being a protective suit of armor for adventuring rather than an outfit for show. The outfit even had an under-armor padding; close inspection revealed tiny links of chain mail of an unknown type of metal; very light but felt durable when tugged; which wove to and fro underneath the bits of leather padding. It had been little wonder it was so difficult to put on; there was at least four layers of fabric and leather-work and an entire layer of chain sheet in that ensemble.

The belt that went around the middle and held up both the pants and the tunic itself looked very nice, being made of what appeared to be very well-kept leather, likely cowhide, with a sharp pewter belt buckle to match. The pants were well-sewn and featured a couple of pockets on both legs, and the boots were very well fashioned by a seasoned cobbler. All in all, not a bad prize. He could see now why Zelda liked it so much.

The cap still was a bit of a turn-off, but Link was sure that it could come in handy. The design didn't require a strap to go over his chin to keep it attached, as it latched nicely to his head. Of course, it wasn't too tight or uncomfortable, but instead made a nice pocket of empty space to go over his hair. It didn't do anything to protect his pointed ears, so he doubted that it would help against the cold, but it did keep the top of his head covered so he guessed that it could be useful for outdoors in the heat. Maybe...

When he managed to put it all on again he looked at himself in the mirror. It was then that he noticed a particular strap on his left shoulder pad and his right hip. He fingered them for a moment in confusion, wondering what they could be used for. Was it to latch a specific kind of tool to his body? Maybe it was for a second belt...but why around the back like that?

He decided he could ponder on it later. There was a festival he needed to attend, and a princess waiting for his timely appearance. The last thing he wanted to do was show up a princess.

* * *

Almost overnight, crowds of people arrived to the festival grounds and managed to finish filling up what empty space remained surrounding the ranch property. Loads of new vendors, each more extravagant than the last, had arrived and set up shop on the morning of the festival, along with several shopkeepers, trolleys, and wagons full of new items to buy and new games to play. There was even an arena being fixed up near one of the old horse corrals at the edge of the ranch proper, with tall seating benches and a special group of elevated boxes for the royalty and courtesans of Hyrule Castle to sit and watch the proceedings.

Every other bit of square foot surrounding the festival and the immediate area was filled to the brim with pavilions, wagons, tents, and peoples of all shapes and sizes from across the lands of Hyrule and its neighboring provinces. Link had been in Hyrule Castle Town before and once thought it to be packed with people, but now he was quite mistaken. If ever there was a time and place where he felt one region shouldn't be able to hold as many people as it now did, it was here and now. So much variety and so much character seemed to be in every little square amount of space that even from the distance he was from the festival grounds it seemed almost too overwhelming.

Common tents owned by village folk from the lands of the Hyrule Field and surrounding countryside stood side by side with the pavilions of nobles, lords, and the royal court itself of Hyrule Castle Town. Tall, four-piece gondolas made of the red-brown leather of Dodongo hide belonged to Gorons that came south from their great mountain. Lean-toes made of sticks and leaves belonged to the Kokiri; the strange, child-like race of forest dwellers that hailed from the Lost Woods and Kokiri Forest further south and west of the ranch; and already birds and other creatures were beginning to flock towards the playful children of nature. The sand-colored teepees of the Gerudo Tribes; an entire race of people composed almost entirely of women and their single male king; stood in a picketed circle around each other off to the far side of the proceedings. There was even a small group of blue-colored, coral-encrusted yurts belonging to the few Zoras that could bear the dry trip from their beloved river to the ranch so that they could take part in the festival themselves.

Link took it all in. He felt elated inside, as if this was for sure to be the best day of his life. This gathering of people from all corners of Hyrule was really happening, and he had the honor of being one of the hosts of it on his family land. So many people from so many races, once war-like with one another so long ago but now living together as friends and even family...the scene was breathtaking to say the least.

As Link took in the sights around him, he took note of how happy everyone was. There wasn't any sign of concern or the hint of scheming behind anyone's demeanor. People were enjoying themselves, and making a point to show it. The festival couldn't have turned out better than anyone could have hoped for.

"Link! Hey, big brother! Over here!"

Link turned around. Malon, in one of her best dresses, was quickly running towards him across the festival grounds. She had on one of the traditional dresses of the girls of Lon Lon Ranch, said to have been based on Malon's namesake from many years ago; the legendary farm-girl who wished to marry a knight and got a hero instead. She caught up to him and excitedly gave him a quick hug, never once stopping short of breath.

"Hey, mom and dad are going to show us off to some of the supporters of the festival," she said, "Dad said he wanted to make sure you looked our best and-wait, why are you wearing that?"

Link nervously chuckled, rubbing the back of his head nervously. "Zelda asked me to wear it, said that she wanted me to show off to her da-I mean, his majesty when we got a chance to see each other again today."

"That's great!" Malon said happily, "I think he'll like it. It looks so much better than your other clothes. Come on, let's hurry up!"

Link made to follow, but stopped short. "Hey, wait a second! What's wrong with my other clothes?!"

* * *

As the festival began to go well into its desired pace, with the hustle and bustle of the buying and selling of goods, the playing of games, feasting, and overall enjoyment of the crowd, the sunlight began to shine down transforming the surrounding fields into vast plains of gold. Indeed, the day seemed to be just perfect for the celebration. For some...a little too perfect.

No one noticed, but among the Kokiri there was a group of fairies tasked with watching the proceedings and ensuring their charges did not get too carried away; children being children as they are. These three fairies; Ciela, Leaf, and Neri; took close watch over the Children of the Forest. It was not long before discussion among the three of them was halted when a yellow fairy quickly flew in their direction.

"Ciela, Ciela!" the fairy shouted, panting with breath as she fluttered and landed atop the lean-to that the three were perched upon, "We've spotted him; the outsider! He's followed us from the forest!"

Leaf's red body appeared to glow brightly, and several of the leaves surrounding his person began to curl and wilt, turning black from the heat. "Damn," he said, "I would have thought Mido would have kept him occupied back home. The Great Deku Tree warned us he'd pull something like this."

Ciela ignored her brother and kept the conversation focused on the yellow messenger. "Who all saw him?"

"Just Tael and myself, ma'am. We saw him crawling on the pavilions further in. It looks like he's headed towards the center of the festival grounds."

"Likely where many figures of importance will be residing throughout the ceremonies," Neri, the wise blue fairy that sat to Ciela's left, stated aloud.

Ciela nodded. "Was he bothering any of our charges?"

"None, ma'am. It looked as if he's lost interest in them."

Ciela sighed with relief. "Good...that puts him out of our hair for the moment," she looked over at Leaf. "Call up your guard, tell them to keep an eye out. We can't let him try and take one of our charges. If you see him so much as look at one of our Kokiri, bring him in. Try not to get noticed."

Leaf's wings flittered in agitation. "That's all you want?"

"If you try any antics you might set a tent on fire, and the last thing we want is a political dispute. We're babysitters, not diplomats."

"As you will. Just know that I'm not going to hesitate in teaching him a lesson if he tries to pull anything like last time."

"Just...don't get caught, alright?"

The red fairy nodded and flew off, trailed closely by a couple of orange fairies that flew quickly in his wake.

"C-Ciela?"

Ciela turned to the messenger. "Yes, Tatl, I apologize. You had something else?"

"Nothing, ma'am, only if I'm done I would like to get back to my brother. He can't take care of two charges at once for so long."

"Hurry up and get going, then...and don't forget to tell the Skull Kid to stay away from any more masks. The last thing we need is for him to pull his antics again."

The yellow fairy nodded and flew off, disappearing back amidst the festival tents.

Ciela watched her go, then drew her gaze back to her remaining sister. Neri was staring out into the distant crowds, her eyes deep in thought. Very few could understand what she often was thinking, and even for the few who did even they were often befuddled at figuring out what she has locked away in that mind of hers. Ciela was often one of those few; for as long as she knew her sister, she still had much to learn of her.

"What?" she asked, "You're thinking of him?"

"I'm thinking, yes..." Neri replied.

"You thinking that he's going to leave us alone?"

"I think that, pretty soon, that outsider will start becoming someone else's problem," she sighed, "However, that doesn't necessarily mean he won't stop being our problem."

"That damned glowing bat had better stop being our problem," Ciela said angrily, "He's no longer under the protection of His Greatness. We're out in the open, far away from the forest. There's no keeping us from any accidents."

"So you agree with Leaf, then? That we should be rid of him?"

"I feel that Leaf's anger is justified, nothing more."

Neri approached her sister. "What happened with his charge-"

"He could have gotten lost!" Ciela interrupted, her voice raised high enough to attract the other fairies that stayed behind, "He could have gotten lost in the worst of places! You know the laws of the Forest, Neri! You know more than anyone; when a Kokiri leaves the protection of its warden, then it becomes lost to the Forest. But it's not like out here, where they can still live and grow like the rest of the world. Not where they were going. And you expect us to just let that slide?! Just like that?!"

Neri winced. She did know all too well what that meant. The Kokiri weren't just a people; they were of course children, but only through magic. The power of the Forest, specifically the Great Deku Tree's power, was what kept them eternally young. Those who left the safety of the forest were doomed to become lost, but for those who wished to see the outside world and come back the Great Deku Tree entrusted some of his power to his wardens, the Fairies. With a Fairy Guardian always by their Kokiri's side, they could walk among distant fields and new forests and still remain young so long as they always returned. If at any point the Fairy was separated from its charge, or if the Kokiri wished to remain in the outside world, then the spell was broken and the Kokiri would be like a normal child, who will one day grow up, grow old, and die.

This was not so for those lost to the Forest. Those Kokiri who made the mistake of escaping their Fairy charges and entering the deep forest were doomed to become lost forever. If they are ever at one point seen again, they will have already changed; becoming lanky, thin, and covered in leaves and bristles instead of hair, and growing bark for skin and gaunt, hollow eyes like those of a hollowed tree. The forest will have already claimed them, turning them into Skull Kids. It was why everywhere outside of the Kokiri Forest and the Sacred Grove was called the Lost Woods.

Tael had the mistake happen to his charge, Dori, who had disappeared during an extended game of hide and seek. Tael had personally looked for Dori for days, wandering to and fro throughout the Lost Woods on his own. When they had returned, they were already too late. Dori had become a Skull Kid; his memories, personality, and his very identity long gone, replaced by something that suited the Forest; more often than not, something twisted. Were it not for the strong bond they both shared, as mischief-makers, Dori would never have come back. Now both were outcasts, barely accepted into society by all but a few, such as Tael's sister Tatl and her charge, Fado the Songweaver.

"I know, sister," Neri said, "All too well."

"Good," Ciela said, "Then we are agreed. The outsider never returns to the Kokiri Forest if we do see him again."

"If we are lucky, he may have already found what he's looking for by then."

Ciela rolled her eyes and turned back to her sister. "Are you joking? You seriously still believe the web of lies he keep spouting?!"

Neri looked straight into her sister's eyes. "I believe that he believes in them," she said sincerely, "And if he believes in them that strongly, then perhaps he's not at fault to."

"Whatever," Ciela growled, "It doesn't matter. If we're really lucky some passing merchant or curious salesman will pick him up and, seeing that he doesn't belong to us, might just put him in a cage and take him off of our hands. There is no way that we are going to let that Shadow Fairy walk within an inch of our young ones again, no matter how much he tries to convince us otherwise. He can take his "green warrior" rubbish and throw it up his-"

Neri had stopped listening to her sister. Her eyes were gazing elsewhere, to where a girl with red hair was pulling by the hand a boy wearing what looked like, to all intents and purposes, the green garb of a Kokiri.

* * *

Link and Malon managed to make it to where their parents were visiting with some of the nobles and merchants who represented the main group of sponsors that funded the festival. Link was asked to shake hands, bow, or otherwise formally greet and be polite to several men and women from across Hyrule, many of whom were from as far away as past Hyrule's borders. There was one lady, Agitha, who he had to keep himself from chuckling at, because her entire dress was covered in what looked like decorative bugs. Of course, when Malon asked to touch one, she got the surprise of her life when one of these golden bugs came to life and buzzed at her finger.

There was Dangoro, the wandering Goron Prize-Fighter, who took great pride in helping gatherings such as the Festival itself. Linebeck, the engineer and traveling merchant, who took every opportunity in the world to expand his business ventures and spread his name in a new region. The Traveling Mask Salesman, who always seemed too polite and had that strange grin that creeped Link out whenever he looked in his direction. There were more names than he cared to remember, though he played the polite eldest son and did his best to look presentable.

There was one backer in particular who brought his own children with him. Zora De Bon, a rather large, fat Zora with a frog-like face and legs that looked too small to be carrying him, brought with him his daughter, a lovely young Zora named Ruto who was about his age. Link didn't know why, but he noticed very quickly the strange looks and shy smiles and giggles whenever they made eye contact.

When they finally managed to be alone, Malon pulled him aside with a giggle. "She's got her eye on you," she whispered.

"Really?" Link asked sarcastically, hoping to avoid the Zora girl's gaze a little longer, "I didn't notice."

"Better watch out," Malon whispered, "Or she might just start courting you, cucco legs."

Link shuddered. A Hylian and a Zora...dating? That hardly seemed like something within reality. A Gerudo, he'd understand; that was necessity rather than anything else. But a Zora?

Just then a man bearing the colors and dress of a courier of the King approached the family and bowed. "His majesty requests the presence of Sir and Lady Talon and their family at the Court Pavilion."

Link gulped. That likely meant Zelda would be there. He sincerely hoped that whatever Zelda likely had planned in her letter wouldn't get him embarrassed...but, oddly enough, he suddenly wanted to stand up straighter and look more proud of himself.

"Come on!" Malon said excitedly, "I want to see his majesty!"

* * *

Unbeknownst to the patrons of the Festival, moving quickly from booth to booth, across tent after tent, a dark, tiny, shadowy form was making its way deeper and deeper towards the center of the Festival grounds. It bore a winged form; a pair of black, moth-like wings that it tucked in close behind it as it moved quickly across the fairgrounds. It only opened them when needing to glide from booth to booth, using its speed while running to give it the boost needed to quickly glide across.

The thing looked at first glance to be like a fairy, only its aura was very dark in color. Its core body looked white, but everywhere outside was black, even the wings. As it touched the wood, metal, or canvas it made a shimmering wave appear, as if its body wasn't really a part of reality. It kept moving with purpose, letting it drive each stride while its keen eyes kept looking for something in particular; something out of the ordinary.

Finally it came to a halt, perching itself upon a tall pole overlooking the area. It glanced towards either side of its body, trying to spot something out of the ordinary. However, its eyes couldn't get a glimpse of what it was looking for, and so the creature swore to itself and kicked at the pole.

It suddenly stopped moving and looked down. Movement had caught its eye; tiny, glowing orbs of red and orange light that were also searching. It immediately dropped down and hid itself, keeping its body against the flat surface of the pole, hoping it wouldn't get spotted.

When the passing lights moved away, it let out a sigh of relief. Slowly, it gazed back down amidst the crowd. It appeared ready to give up; whatever it was searching for appeared to just simply not be.

Just then, it stopped; its gaze pointed directly at a figure beneath him, a figure appearing to walk beside four others and making their way towards the large pavilion in the center of the grounds. It let its jaw drop, then let out a loud laugh; one that, thankfully, couldn't be heard below. It smiled and gauged where its quarry was headed, then quickly spread its wings and soared overhead. It would watch and wait until it was absolutely sure of itself, but there was no denying it.

The boy down there just had to be the Green Warrior. He just had to be.

* * *

The Royal Pavilion was a great many times larger than the other pavilions set up. Bearing the colors of Hyrule across its surface; blue and golden stripes pointed vertically an ending at the very tops of the massive tent; it stood out a great deal from the other tents. This was likely due to it doubling as a makeshift court, allowing for the King and his closest advisers, loyalest nobility, and specialists he liked to keep close by his side to continuously convene on certain matters even outside of the castle walls. A king's job is never done, even during celebration, and like it or not this wasn't a time for relaxation for the likes of a monarch, despite the festivities.

The Talon family was announced, and they did their best to look proper and bow or curtsey to their lord and sovereign. Link couldn't help but look up to see if Zelda was there amongst the rest of the Royal family. She was; sitting by her father's side on a smaller version of his own traveling throne. She did not look like she noticed him at first, but Link managed to catch the smile at the corner of her mouth; something that he had learned to pick up long ago when he was a regular visitor to Hyrule Castle Town.

"Arise, Talon and family," the King spoke, his great burly hands beckoning for them all to stand again, "You have made us honored guests on your land, and we thank you for it. You do us the honor, not the other way around."

They all stood. Link was on his father's right, alongside his sister, while his mother Marian held Colin's hand as she stood on Talon's left. They all were dressed as properly as they could be, though one glance in the crowd told Link that they were likely the least properly dressed. Row after row of courtesans, nobles, and aristocrats all bore clothing, jewels, and headdresses that far outmatched that which they could ever hope to wear. He knew for a fact, talking with Zelda, that any one of the outfits the men wore would cost the equivalent of his family's entire earnings, expenses, and debts in a year combined on an average harvest, and those were just the outfits for the men!

The king looked them over once more before he was about to dismiss them, then his eyes glanced on Link. Link froze, not sure whether to meet his gaze or otherwise look away, whichever was respectful. He made a quick glance in Zelda's direction; the look on her face suggested that he was doing alright. This made him relax, if only a little bit.

"You there, son," the king said, pointing a finger at Link, "Approach. I want a better look at you."

Link did his hardest not to visibly gulp or show signs of his nervousness. Slowly he walked forward, careful to keep his steps in line. Luckily, an occasional glance at Zelda told him what to do. She used the fingers of her left hand; the hand between herself and her father, the one less likely to be noticed; to indicate if what he was doing was correct. Two fingers meant continue, one meant stop, a quick wag meant an immediate halt in what he was doing, while a twirl meant he could return to his place.

Zelda quickly lifted one of her fingers when Link got close enough and he stopped in his tracks. Slowly, he looked up at the King, though not enough to directly look into his gaze. He noticed that the man was eyeing him up and down and carefully scrutinizing his appearance, as if he was looking for something out of place. Link didn't dare look at Zelda while her father was watching, but out of his peripherals he could see that she was nervous too. Obviously she was hoping for him to say or do something already.

"Tell me, my boy," the king finally said, "Your name is Link, am I right?"

Link nodded. "Yes, sire."

"You are wearing a very handsome outfit, young Link. It appears to be quite an expensive one."

"Please, my lord, it is nothing compared to the splendid garbs I see here today."

He saw Zelda smile slightly. The very low murmur of the crowd confirmed that he did the right thing in complimenting them. The king simply laughed.

"Indeed, yet I am not one for such fancy tastes. Yours is a rather unique outfit even compared to these others. Yet you do not seem like the type who would so quickly take up such a garb on your own initiative."

Link allowed himself a very slight nervous smile. "Well, my lord...her majesty, the princess, has good taste in clothing."

He saw Zelda wince. That wasn't a good sign. The murmurs increased in volume, and he could hear snickering from some of the younger members of court; members around his age. It dawned on him that he may have accidentally made his best friend look bad.

"Did she, now?" the King asked, "Well, that's right. You have been good childhood friends with my daughter, have you not? It seems like she would have put the right stuff into your head."

Link nodded. He didn't dare look at Zelda. There was a good chance that she was trying to control a blush and his gaze wouldn't do anything to help it.

The king leaned closer to him, his large, muscular body causing the wooden traveling throne under him to creak slightly. "I have always found," he said, "that it is a very important part of life to choose one's friends carefully. One good friend is worth over a dozen common ones."

Link didn't know how to answer that. He simply nodded.

The king chuckled. "A boy of few words. I like that. And I like your outfit...but it seems to be missing something."

Link looked up in confusion. The king beckoned for one of his couriers and whispered something in his ear. The man bowed and quickly went to one side of the pavilion. After a wait that seemed like hours, he returned bearing something wrapped tightly in preserving leathers.

"Boy, what I am about to give you is a kingly gift. It is something that should never leave your side, in peace or war, for it is an important piece to any man's arsenal. It is only half of a greater whole; but it is by far the important half, for one cannot carry a tool without something to carry it with."

The king held the thing in his hands and held it forward. Link glanced at Zelda. Two fingers. He approached slowly, cautiously holding out his hands to take the gift.

The king placed the object in his hands. It felt only slightly heavy, but it wasn't for its size alone. It was likely hollow and, based on the shape, pointed at one end. Careful not to make a mess, he slowly parted the leathers to reveal that which was hidden beneath.

Many in the room gasped. His eyes gleamed. There, sitting in his hands, was a scabbard for a broadsword, bearing the crest of Hyrule on its surface; the Triforce, in gold, perched atop a pair of eagle's wings. Link could not help but stare at the gift, gazing it up and down and admiring its sheen and excellent make. Sure, the scabbard was empty, but it was still amazing and would likely fit well any sword he chose to sheathe it in.

"T-thank you, my lord," Link said with a deep bow.

"The belt of the scabbard goes around the strap on your left shoulder and the opposite hip," the king said, indicating with his hand where it should go, "It looks as if your outfit was built for someone of royalty, or otherwise the strap would be on the other ends. It should not be too much of a problem, I think, to adjust it."

"It won't be a problem, my lord," Link said with a very slight smile, "I am left handed anyway."

The king guffawed. "You seem to be a lucky lad, either that or good at spotting that which suits you best. My daughter did well in choosing that outfit for you."

Link nearly blushed, but glad he didn't. Already he could hear the snickering again. If he did blush he likely would just stir up more trouble, and the last thing he needed was for Zelda to get upset.

"Well then," the king said, "Perhaps with a scabbard like that, you could look forward to wearing a guardsman's sword in the future. I hear they are always looking for new recruits."

Link's jaw nearly dropped. Did he hear that right? The King himself offered him a place in the ranks of the Castle Guards? _The_ Castle Guards? Such an honor, such a privilege would mean that he could live in the castle, he could have enough money to buy himself expensive meals, get himself a horse and land, he could...

He glanced at Zelda. The smirk had returned to her face.

She knew. She knew that her father would like this outfit. She didn't just want him to randomly grab something goofy to wear as a joke between friends, but she actually knew that her father would call him out on it. It would mean he could live near the castle...no, it would mean that he could live closer to his best friend.

It would change everything. Everything in his life...

Link quickly bowed before he looked like he would be standing there for too long. "T-thank you, sire," he said nervously.

Zelda made the signal with her finger; twirling it. He could return to the others.

Link slowly backed away, keeping hold of the scabbard, excited to put it on. But his excitement was tempered very hard. He had just been given a very important life decision; no, it had been thrown right in his lap. If her father meant what he said, then that would mean that Link would want to join up for the guardsmen sooner than later; they only recruited those before their 20's. It would mean that he would have to leave home, and likely wouldn't be able to stick around at the ranch anymore.

It was a lot to think about, and much too soon as well. He wasn't sure if he could handle that kind of a choice.

"Come!" the king said, "Let us start up another feast, and we'd be fools not to invite our hosts along to join us! Ready the tables and prepare the chairs, and open more casks of wine!"

* * *

The feast was better than anything Link had ever tried before. There were lots of imported goods from across Hyrule; meats of all kinds and colors and shades of reds, whites, and pinks, and in different cuts and styles of cooking from the very rare to the very well done. Pigs brought in from Kakariko Village, butchered right there in the fairgrounds; cooked perfectly so as not to be too dry to the point of jerky. Poultry such as ducks, cuccos, geese, and wild pheasants all were arranged in different styles of dress, some even with their feathers still attached to add decoration to the spread.

The pastries, flans, and other cooked foods were mouthwatering and delicious in all their own ways. Potato and turnip pasties, meat pies with bits of beef mixed with carrot and beet, calzones and strombolis made by the Gerudo cooks and mixed with red sauce, goat cheese, and sausage before cooked piping hot; all melted and coated in butter, Goron flatcakes mixed with nuts and berries grown atop the rugged surface of Death Mountain, and these were just to name a few. Link had a particular liking for the strombolis, and hoped that his mother could find the Gerudo chef who made them so she could get the recipe.

By far the largest meal on the spread was a massive, steam-cooked, deliciously well-done grouper brought in by the Zoras from deep within the depths of Lake Hylia. It was by far the biggest fish Link had ever seen in his life; almost as big as a horse, with a mouth large enough that it could swallow little Colin in one bite. Black pepper, seasoned salt, and marinades made of some plants Link couldn't even pronounce were all added in the making of the dish, and it was enough to make one's mouth explode in flavor. It was by far Link's favorite part of the meal, likely because there was so much stuff that he couldn't try it all in one go.

As Link ate another bite, he managed to hear some snickering off to one corner. Curious, he looked over his shoulder. A group of kids his age, all part of the same group as the rest of the crowd, appeared to be laughing at something. Judging by the looks of their stares and the direction they were pointing, he had a good idea who.

It made him mad, the way they looked at him and treated him. He knew that it was to be expected, but he shouldn't be punished for being best friends with a princess, and for that matter neither should Zelda. He'd give them all a piece of his mind if it weren't for the fact he knew that it would put him out of favor with many of the aristocracy there, and as both the son of a very well-known rancher and a potential future guardsmen for Hyrule it was important that he acted polite.

Link couldn't help but let his mind wander for a moment. A guardsman of Hyrule...he never thought he'd get an opportunity like that. Being best friends with the Crown Princess was a matter of chance rather than planning or even luck, as Link happened to be the oldest son of a prestigious ranching family. Despite the obvious benefits, Link always thought of Zelda as just a friend with nothing extra attached. He had decided from the moment the thought came to mind he would never take advantage of his friendship with her, regardless of his own circumstances. It was a promise he made to himself long ago, and a promise he intended to keep. As Zelda became queen, married, and ruled over the land of Hyrule he would remain just Link the Rancher, inherit his dad's ranch and farm and continue running the family business as it has been done for generations.

But Zelda had changed all of that.

Link felt the belt around his chest which attached his scabbard to the rest of his outfit. Buying a sword would be simple enough; they weren't even that expensive. Making his own would be ideal if he could learn the trade within the next four years. But the point was that he never even considered getting one before now, even if he ever got older and had to go into the service if war was to occur. An entire new opportunity was opened up to him; one that he only dreamt of as a boy. All thanks to his friendship...friendship with the one girl that he promised never to kiss up to or ask for any favors for the sake of personal gain.

All thanks to Zelda...now his life would never be the same again...

"Excuse me, but are you deaf?"

Link looked up with a start. "Huh?"

The kids that had been laughing at him a moment ago were now surrounding him, some giggling behind their gloves or otherwise sneering in his direction. He must have been so lost in thought that he hadn't even paid attention when they addressed him.

"Oh...I'm sorry," Link said, "I was...thinking, my apologies."

"Pfft, thinking. Wasn't aware commoners could do that."

Link tried not to glare at the older kid who had said that. He was about his age, but definitely bigger than him, with blue hair dyed and curled over atop his head almost like a judge's wig.

"We were just admiring the gift the king gave you," one of the girls said, her hair arranged in a headdress that looked too heavy for her to hold up despite how easily she appeared to manage it, "It is a lovely scabbard."

Link gave her a nervous smile. "Uh...thanks, I guess."

This incited more giggles and more sneers. Somehow Link knew that this couldn't end well. He would just have to hunker down and wait until it was done and over with.

"So, is it true then?"

Link looked up at the girl. "Is what true?"

"Are you going to join the Royal Guards? That is what the king invited you to do, was it not?"

Link felt a blush coming on. "I...uh, um...well, I'm still thinking on it..."

"Typical. Told you he wouldn't do it. Show commoners something new they can't understand and they just waddle around like the overfed turkeys they are."

Link just about had enough of the blue-haired kid. "At least I'm not dressed like an overfed turkey," he muttered.

Stunned silence. Link looked around. All of the kids that had crowded around him had their jaws down to the floor. The blue-haired kid looked positively steamed, turning a shade red in the face.

"This style...is the latest in male fashion across ten kingdoms," he growled, "Do you have any idea, a single smidgeon of a thought in that thick skull of yours, how much it costs?! This outfit alone could probably buy off your entire ranch tenfold!"

Link knew that he was in trouble. Every ounce of common sense in his body told him he should back out while he can, but somehow common sense had as much leverage over him as a small duck would to this jerk's ego. Not only was he just insulting him now, but he was insulting his family home...nobody does that around a Lon and gets away with it.

"Well, then you wasted your money," Link retorted, "Because not only is my family ranch more functional and profitable, but it looks nicer too...and doesn't smell even half as bad. I could smell that cologne about a mile away."

This was greeted with a bunch of oohs from the small crowd he had gathered. The blue-haired kid's face now looked like an upside-down beet with how red it was. Like an over-proud pigeon he strutted up to Link and looked him square in the eye.

"At least I didn't take the time to waste my money on a commoner," he growled, "You may be the princess's friend but there's one thing all of us can agree on; she has poor taste in money when it comes to you."

"Actually, I lied," Link said, "The ranch smells a good quarter as bad as the outfit...oh, and she didn't buy it. I won it."

The blue-haired kid made a showy, fake guffaw and took a step back. "Won it? You actually expect me to believe you had some sort of skill to get something that drab?"

"Bulls-eyed three targets with a lame bow, never used a bow in my life," Link added just to make his point, "Oh, and they were a good thirty to forty feet by the way, not play targets either."

Link could tell that their argument wasn't going anywhere but bad, but he was only confirmed that when he saw the blue-haired kid's hand reach past his cape.

"I doubt you're any good with a sword," he growled.

That's when Link saw it; the hilt of a very thin and rather nasty-looking saber. The scabbard that held it was encrusted with jewels and gilded with gold and silver, likely a good ten to twenty times more expensive than his empty one, but he had no doubt of the blade's lethality. Link knew that if what he said next was the wrong words, he could end up on the floor, bleeding from neck to navel, and not even being a guest of honor or a host would save him.

"Kafei, Link, what's gotten into you two?!"

The kids parted and bowed and curtsied as according to their rank. Link felt a wave of relief wash over him as Zelda walked up to the two of them, glaring directly at the blue-haired kid. Link took a step back and respectfully bowed even as Zelda eyed-up the giant.

"Oh, uh-er," the noble stammered, his angry red face becoming pink with fright like a pig's, "Princess Zelda, I was-"

"I saw what you were doing," Zelda growled under her breath, "How dare you threaten him like that. You're old enough that I could have you put behind bars just for holding your sword wrong! He's our host, and personally honored by my father, the king!"

Kafei, as his name was, managed to get a hold of his composure by then and blew a strand of his hair away from his face. "He's just a commoner, princess," he stated matter-of-factually, "Honored or not, he insulted me. By all rights I should punish him, have him whipped, maybe even drawn and quartered. No amount of friendship to the Crown would deny me that right."

Zelda's glare made her eyes look like daggers. Link saw her that mad before, and did not envy Kafei right now. Zelda's eyes when she got angry could frighten a cucco into abandoning her own eggs and could curdle milk.

"You will apologize to him," she growled, "Now."

"Or what, Zelda?" Kafei retorted, all sense of formality gone now, "Your father may be king, but you forget mine. My father is a proud supporter of yours and one of his greatest financial backers in court. It'd be a shame if that support didn't pass on to the next generation, now would it?"

"No, it wouldn't," Zelda said, "Because there's hardly any shame in losing the support of a weasel."

This got more oohs and a couple of loud laughs from the boys, as if by some joke they shared. Kafei glared at them and they immediately shut up.

"You're going to regret that, your majesty," Kafei said under his breath.

"What, regret knowing you? I already do, thanks. Now, take your friends and go bother someone else...or maybe I'll get the guards to persuade you, and wouldn't that embarrass your father. Would that be twice now that would have happened to you? I seem to recount it was three, but there's only so many that one can get away with hiding from the public eye-"

"Enough, already!" Kafei barked, "Fine, we'll leave."

He bowed low once and glared in Link's direction before adding, "My apologies to the stable boy."

Link kept himself from making the rude gesture that popped into his head and bowed back. "And my apologies to you, _sir._"

* * *

As soon as they had gone, Zelda dragged Link into a secluded corner and all but shoved him against one of the pavilion support posts. It jarred his head just a little bit.

"OW! Zelda, what was that for?!"

"You know very well what it was for, cucco-legs," Zelda replied, using his sister's nickname for him, "What were you thinking?! Kafei could have injured you badly or worse if I hadn't have shown up, and he's been known to do it if he gets mad."

"They were insulting my family," Link said, "I couldn't just keep my mouth shut, what was I supposed to do?"

"Did you at all think about how this could reflect on me by chance?!" Zelda continued, "Those overfed turkeys you were busy trading insults might one day become members of my court; members whose funds, goods, or otherwise general support will be what I ride on throughout my time as queen. What support they give then will be the reflection of how I treat them now while we are young!"

"Well why even have supporters like that to begin with?" Link asked with genuine sincerity, "They are not good people, Zelda. Do you really want to count on them at all when you become the monarch?"

"I don't like it either," Zelda said, "But no one cares how I like it, and they'd rather have me keep my personal opinions to myself, as it is expected of me. I'm supposed to ensure that they get what they want so I can get what I want, that's how it's always been. If they don't give me the support I need when I do become monarch, then I'll have as much power over the kingdom as a stray dog!"

"Then better to be a stray dog," Link replied, "Because having fleas as followers is better than leeches like them."

The two of them stared each other in the eyes for a good while after that before they both suddenly burst out laughing. It was enough that they got a couple of looks from the nearby adults, who simply rolled their eyes at the two of them; likely not sure exactly who was laughing or why. It was enough that both Link and Zelda were on the floor, both in tears from laughing so hard.

"Did-did you actually hear me call him an overfed turkey?" Link asked between chuckles.

Zelda had to cover her mouth to stifle her giggling. "I heard every word," she said, "I kind of agree...his cologne does smell worse than the ranch does. I've never smelt anything so powerful in my life!"

"And what was that about, 'weasel?' Don't tell me he's played trouser-ferret before!"

Zelda nearly burst into fresh laughter. "Once, and that was one of the times he got escorted out of the castle! They were afraid his shouts would cause public indecency!"

The two of them continued laughing until they were both exhausted. Finally, they managed to catch their breath, the two of them wiping tears from their eyes as they did.

Link was the first to end the amusement with a question they both knew would be coming. "You planned it, didn't you?"

Zelda wiped another tear and nodded.

"Even though I never asked for anything other than to be your friend, you had planned it."

Another nod.

"How long?"

"I had some ideas for a while," Zelda said, "But I knew simply asking father would not be enough. You had to look like you could be more than just a ranch boy...when I saw that outfit I knew that he'd look at you with different interests in mind."

Link looked at her quizzically. "How so?"

Zelda sat up, looking at him thoughtfully. "Because you look just like him."

Link turned his head to one side. Now he was really confused. "Just like who?"

Before Zelda could answer, there was a loud clanging sound coming from the end of the feast table where the royal throne sat. Zelda quickly got up and dashed over there, knowing that her father would likely want her to have a seat by him. Link got up and made to follow, but stopped at the edge of the crowd. Friend or no, his place was nowhere near by her side at a time like this.

"Ladies and gentlemen, honored guests!" the King said in a loud voice, "Once again I would like to thank our fine chefs and cooks for this wonderful feast, but the time has come now for the moment many of you have all been waiting for!"

There were many cheers and hoorays from the crowd in response to this. Link managed to see Kafei out of the corner of his eye, talking to another man in the crowd; someone with blue hair just like his. When finished, Kafei's eyes met his. The look he gave Link made him very wary about what was going on.

"Yes, the Tourney of the Golden Summer has begun once again! As each of you well remember, as was the tradition in the First Golden Summer held after the Imprisoning War, a tourney of skill will take place here on the Festival grounds! Ten events, each with ten rounds with several combatants and specialists ready to test their skills for the entertainment of the onlookers! For this year, our opening tourney shall be-"

The blue-haired man, likely Kafei's father, politely cleared his throat. The king stopped mid-sentence and turned to look. Seeing it was him, he addressed him.

"Ingo, Duke of Kakariko, you wish to add something?"

"Indeed I do, my lord," the man said, fingering a very blue mustache with one of his hands, "I have a suggestion of sorts. Instead of a traditional opening tourney, how about we have an opening ceremony; a one on one battle of sorts, with a champion of age to test the skill. Being as our families are so close together in court, I offer my son with the skill of the sword to begin this opening ceremony."

The king was a little taken aback. "Well, that is reasonable of you, good Duke, but my own son is not yet of age to hold the sword, so I am not sure if I can offer anyone."

Kafei stepped forward then. Link knew right away this was not a good sign. "Perhaps her majesty, Princess Zelda, could offer a champion as she is the eldest, my lord? It would seem a shame after all to fight a lady."

There were some laughs in the crowd, followed by the King's own laughter.

"Of course, I suppose you are right," he said, "My daughter, I place this in your hands. Do you have a champion of age who would match swords with the young Kafei?"

Zelda looked even more taken aback then her father. She began to stumble a little.

"I...uh...well, yes, a champion..."

It was at that moment that Link would recall in later years that it would have been his stupidest achievement yet. It was the single, number one, flawlessly imbecile act that he would ever make in his life. He would learn to never regret it.

"I volunteer!"

Everyone turned to stare, even Zelda, whose eyes grew wide and her skin pale as a ghost.

Link took a step forward, out of the crowd in plain view. He looked around at everyone, to make sure he got their undivided attention. He was certain that he did, and with that he announced loudly yet again.

"I, Link of Lon Lon Ranch, volunteer to be the Princess's champion in the opening ceremony!"

This was followed by a few claps in the crowd, as well as some surprised gasps from some of the ladies his age. Link didn't dare look at Zelda, but he was sure that she was likely mortified at what he was doing.

"This is rather sudden, my boy," the King said, addressing Link for the second time that day, "I am aware of your friendship, but I fear that it isn't possible, for you do not yet own a sword of your own unless I am mistaken."

Link caught himself before he replied. He hadn't thought that far yet. He got a new scabbard from the king, but not a new sword at all. His eyes drifted towards Kafei and he could see the smug grin on the spoiled aristocrat's face. He had backed himself into a corner and made a fool of himself in front of everyone, and likely made a fool of Zelda in the process.

Just then, he saw excited movement out of the corner of his eye. He turned to look and saw to his sheer astonishment a Zora girl excitedly pushing at her oversized father. It was Ruto, the Zora girl that had eyed him before when he was presented to her father, and who he had made fun of behind her back along with his sister. Now he absolutely regretted every mean thing he thought of her.

"Your majesty," Zora De Bon, the girl's father, said aloud with a quick bow that nearly tilted him forward flat on his frog-like face, "I am a backer of this boy's family, and would present with him a sword of my own for this event. It would be an honor to help represent such an esteemed family as his."

Link saw Ruto give him a big wink. He didn't know whether to smile or cringe, and managed to do a bit of both at the same time. Ruto interpreted it as a good sign and giggled before ducking back under her father.

"Well then," the king said, "There's nothing then to keep him from doing the job. Daughter, do you accept this young man as your champion."

Link looked at Zelda, who looked like a cross between furious and mortified as she looked at Link from her seat. "I..."

"Well, then that's settled," the king said excitedly, "Ladies and gentlemen, we have a change in the roster of events today! The opening ceremony for the tourney will begin with a one on one challenge between Kafei, son of Ingo, Duke of Kakariko Village, and my daughter's champion, Link, son of Talon, Owner of Lon Lon Ranch!"

There were loud cheers at the prospect of a new and exciting event to be witnessed. Link watched as a group of servants came to approach him and take him to where he could be prepared. Before he was carted off, Link managed to get a glimpse at Zelda and saw her mouth something to him.

_What in the Goddesses name are you doing?! _He saw her ask.

Link couldn't help but look into her eyes. It had been Zelda's plan for him to get noticed and have an opportunity to do something he could only dream about. All thanks to her, his life had changed completely. He owed it all to her.

_Returning the favor_, he mouthed back. And then he was off and Zelda's face disappeared from his line of sight as he was led through the crowd to the arena.

To be continued...

* * *

**Kerian**: Told you Darin would show up in this chapter, didn't I?

_Darin_: Took you long enough to start writing again!

**Kerian**: So, I could have easily made this into a much smaller chapter, but I wanted to be able to fit as much as I could into it, so you guys are getting a pretty big one. That's why it took so long, honest; I didn't drop you guys like a hot tamale again. I actually got distracted the last couple of nights so I couldn't put in as much as I wanted. Buuuuuut now that it's done, I can work on the next one, and I'm particularly excited for it.

I'd add more, but it's getting time for me to take a shower and go to work. Something's got to pay off this hobby, after all. Until next time, we out!

_Darin_: Bye, everybody!

-Kerian and Darin


	4. Chapter 3: A Bad Turn

**The Legend of Zelda**

The Lost Realm

Chapter 3: A Bad Turn

* * *

On the outskirts of the Festival, away from the hustle and bustle, there was still some activity going on just outside of the line of sight of the guards. Inevitably, as is the case with any sort of gathering place, a black market is sure to establish itself somehow in some form. Shady dealings, illegal goods, and trafficking of all sorts were often performed in any place where society grows big enough that it can't see past its own chest line.

Even here, however, there were some that were automatically given a wide berth, for their sense of presence, charisma, and emotion were often far greater than any one could ever achieve regardless of class or upbringing. One stranger, bearing a dark cloak that covered his body, happened to be exactly that kind of person. Wherever he walked, vendors announcing their wares began to silence their voices, peddlers backed away into corners and stood there holding their goods protectively, and even the few guards posted; many of whom bribed by the black marketeers, stood well away from a man that they would normally immediately question regardless of bribe or not.

The dark stranger approached one of the darkened stalls. Almost immediately whatever customers that had hoped to acquire some form of rare and exotic item from this place backed away quickly, leaving the stranger to himself. He quickly rapped on the door off to the side of the closed-up booth. A quick look through the peek-hole, and the sole occupant lets him in.

The place was dark and barren. If it wasn't for the goods lining the shelves it would almost seem like this place wasn't even fit to be a shop, a front of sorts. That's because it was. Many black markets had places like this; temporary shops used often as cover often as either hideouts or places to trade the most valuable of illegal resources of all; information.

"Did you find it?" the stranger asked in a demanding tone.

"We tracked the item as you said, sir," the shady dealer, a Bokoblin that put on weight and dusted his hide orange to look almost like a runty Goron so as to sneak into the Festival unnoticed, "The item has passed down but stayed within the castle. Apparently it was so important that it even left the castle on occasions to get from place to place."

"And?" the stranger asked, "Where is it now? I paid you to track it to its current whereabouts, not nose around in books just to follow a trail that leads nowhere!"

"P-p-p-please, milord," the Bokoblin said fearfully, "I have a mate and offspring, at least three litters of ten each. They'll all starve if'n I don't keep up me business an' return home!"

The stranger reached into his cloak. The sound of unsheathed metal could be heard, though the man kept his hand under it.

"Then if I were you, I'd start talking, worm..."

The Bokoblin gulped. He reached into a nearby trunk and pulled out a very old scroll that was faded and torn in several places. "That's all that we could find. We think that it may still be in the possession of the Royal Family, but we didn't dare dig further in lest we get caught. The only person who may yet know its whereabouts wears the crown of Hyrule, but even then we aren't sure. Please, spare us!"

The stranger took the scroll from the Bokoblin's grasp and read through it quickly, double-checking at least twice before he appeared satisfied. He tucked the scroll into his cloak. "Leave me be for a few moments..."

The Bokoblin did exactly as he was asked and ducked out of the way. The stranger shut the door behind him and waved his hand over the latch, causing the air to suddenly tighten as a seal was formed. When he was finished, he strolled nonchalantly over to the first seat he could find and sat down, fingering his sword absentmindedly.

"Was he lying?" he finally asked, as if to no-one.

There was a reply, the voice metallic, distant, and echoing as if out of place.

"Most definitely, I could almost smell it through that foul breath of his...three litters, indeed...as if a Bokoblin cared about what pups he leaves in his wake."

"I was talking about the information, not about the Bokoblin's non-existent brats."

"Oh that...yes, he was telling the truth. He likely gave up sooner than he implies, but he's adamant that the information you seek is being held by the king of these troublesome little mongrels."

"Then there's no time to waste," the stranger said, standing tall and grabbing a bag from within his cloak.

"Where to now? It appears this is a dead-end once again, and I do so tire of dead ends. How I would love to vent all of this bothersome anger...it's not healthy."

"Oh, it's anything but a dead-end, my bloodthirsty companion," the figure said with a smile as he dropped the bag onto the nearby counter, "Our little informant just told us right where we can find our next source of information..."

The stranger lifted his hand into the air, the tips of his gloves glowing slightly as a slight breeze began to fill the room.

"Besides," he said with a smirk, "There's a sword tournament going on, and I don't want to miss it. I haven't won one of those in years..."

The Bokoblin got the scare of his life when his stall all but exploded from the inside. Quickly, he rushed within to see the source of the commotion, but the stranger was gone. All that was left was a big hole in his booth roof, and a bag of rupees left on his counter.

* * *

The arena had been built over the course of the entire morning; several straight hours of heavy workmanship; carpentry, heavy labor, construction and the like; that had been done quickly, creating a large area big enough to hold part of an army inside with room to spare. Surrounding it were several rows of raised seats built to ensure that the maximum amount of crowds could get in to watch, and underneath these, in turn, many of the props, weapons, and costumes needed to entertain the vast crowds were stored. Even several old storage pits, used by the ranch in times of over-farming or when one of the stables or granaries is infested or otherwise damaged, had been converted to hold creatures used in circus performances or live fights.

Lastly, there was a large, elevated box situated on the far end of the arena. This was where the king and his close subjects sat, watching the proceedings from a distance from commoners and giving a commanding view of the events below. Flags of the banners of several houses, both new and old, hung from beneath it while the massive banner of Hyrule dominated them all; a banner of blue with stripes of gold, with the Triforce perched atop eagle wings.

Link took the sight in, and nearly got sick.

He had been to tourneys before, though never actually inside. He had seen the arenas, heard the crowds, and occasionally got a glimpse before his father whisked him away so that he could show him the ropes of the family business in Hyrule Castle Town. He never did get a chance to experience any of the real fun, and try as he might he never did convince his parents to take him to see one.

Now he was finally here, but never did he imagine he'd be on the inside of the arena.

Link looked down at himself. His adventuring gear did the stuff, but some improvements had to be put on his outfit to make himself suitable enough for combat. Makeshift gauntlets in the form of arm guards combined with gloves with leather and chain mail covered his hands, giving himself some protection in an otherwise vulnerable area. Shin pads were also added, though these were thin and held close under the joint to prohibit loss of movement. Finally an extra shirt of mail was placed over his tunic, giving him added protection at the cost of throwing more weight over his body.

All in all, Link felt overdressed, but better to be safe than sorry. The mail was a bit big for him, and managed to dangle past his tunic down to his thighs in a way that made him less comfortable in regards to his torso movement. Still, he couldn't argue. It was the best they got unless they got himself something custom-made, and there was no time or money for that right now.

Ruto's father came through with the sword. It was a decent-looking blade, a short-sword that didn't weigh too much and with relatively good balance. The blade was a bit longer than a standard short-sword, but nowhere near like a broadsword, so it provided ample movement at the expense of reach. Link was also given a shield; a simple wooden thing with a rim of iron and pewter studs that held together long, tight pieces of leather to allow for some degree of protection.

Link felt like he was built for war. It wasn't a feeling he was used to, regardless of how much play-fighting he and his little sister would practice when they had the free time to. The mail shirt added to his body was much heavier than the mail of his tunic, and while the gauntlets were a welcome edition to the ensemble all the shin pieces did was make his footsteps feel awkward. And no matter how much he would attempt to pretend, a stick play-sword versus the real thing could not compare.

The door to his changing room opened. Link turned around, expecting his father or his sister to come and try to convince him out of doing this. What he got was far worse. Zelda walked in, closing the door tight behind her after checking to see if they were alone. She crossed her arms and stared darkly at him. Link didn't bother answering her gaze.

"Well?" Zelda finally asked.

Link looked over at her. "Well, what?"

"Why? Why are you doing this?"

Link shrugged. "I can't be a good choice for a royal guardsman if I can't prove myself, now can't I?"

"Please don't do this..." Zelda said, "If you do, you could get yourself killed...or worse. Kafei's well-trained, he's been able to get away with maiming opponents with his father's money backing him..."

"Then I'll just be careful."

"This is more than just about being careful or not, Link," Zelda said, taking his shoulder in her hand, "You're letting your pride get in the way of this. If you go in there, Kafei won't hesitate to tear you apart, and you won't have any protection out there to keep him from it."

"And if I leave, your father will reconsider having me as a royal guard, Zelda," Link stated, matter-of factually, "Or is that no longer a concern now?"

Zelda stopped in her tracks. Her eyes drifted downward.

Link managed to get a good look at her then. Her hands were shaking and she was biting her lip. Link had a feeling that she'd be nervous, but he hadn't seen her look this bad in a long time. He gently put his hand on her shoulder, trying to comfort her.

"What do you think was going to happen if I did join the guards?" Link asked, "I'd be having to do this kind of stuff every day on a regular basis. Why not give myself a head start while the going's good?"

"It's not the same," Zelda said, "Kafei knows what I want of you and he'll do anything to stop it...he's seen you and me together before, when you visit the castle and he'll do anything to keep us from being friends."

"Then he's a bully," Link said, "And if there's one thing I've been taught, you need to stand up to bullies, or else they'll just get worse and worse. Besides...I've seen how big he is, and how he carries himself. He's probably not worked a day in his life; by sheer brawn alone, I bet I could take him."

Zelda chuckled nervously. "You'll be surprised how well he hides himself under those clothes."

Link looked into Zelda's eyes. He could see just how worried she was. He did his best to be brave; the last thing he needed was for her to be even more concerned for him. Despite how much he was regretting taking this up, he knew that he couldn't let her down. He was doing this for her, after all.

"Good luck," Zelda whispered. She reached forward and embraced him, hugging tightly.

Link did his best to hug her back despite the chain mail. When they were done, she quickly left. Link watched her go and felt a little empty inside, wishing that their hug could have lasted just a little longer.

He began to hear fanfare outside. Trumpets and horns began to blow, announcing the beginning of the battle. He took a deep breath and strode forward. There was no turning back now...

* * *

"LADIES AND GENTLEMEN! Young and old! Boys and girls, men and women, Hylian, Zora, Goron, Gerudo, and Kokiri alike! Let me please welcome you to the opening ceremony of this Summer's Skill Tourney!"

The announcer was greeted with loud applause which thundered across the arena. Clapping, cheering, and excited calls from all sorts of peoples echoed across the landscape. It made the pit of Link's stomach gurgle and cringe.

Link could barely hear what was going on, so focused was he on the match at hand. He could see Kafei on the other side of the arena, speaking with an attendant who was busy tending to his every last-minute need. Another approached him with a canteen of water, letting him drink from it before quickly being sent back to the safety of the bleachers.

Link, meanwhile, stood there alone. There were no attendants to help him, nor mentors to offer him advice. It was the difference between one of his standing and people like Kafei; Kafei got everything he ever wanted without even trying, while Link had to work his whole life to get just what he needed to survive. Any other fortune in his world he got simply by chance...even Zelda.

_Well_, Link said to himself, _let's just see how being pampered all your life helps you perform..._

He knew full well that he had only one advantage; a life of struggle. Being raised on a ranch, expected to work every day to earn his keep even as the eldest son of the ranch's head helped him to grow hard. Years of carrying heavy loads at a young age, tending to difficult and rambunctious animals, and having to often drive off wild creatures that would otherwise upset their crops and cattle molded him into a very tough young man. At almost 15, he was already as strong as many average Hylian men twice his age.

Kafei's advantages were many, but easy to characterize. He was raised in the lifestyle of any child of court; secluded, pampered, and told that he was above everyone else. That explained his arrogance and swagger, but it also left him vulnerable; overconfident. Though he was trained in the sword at a young age, Kafei was likely raised to be able to do as he pleases. And if Link knew anything about Hylian nature, it's that many often grow up with a sense of avoiding physical labor and activity if they can help it. All of that training would amount to nothing if Link could exhaust him.

As far as he could see, both were otherwise evened out in terms of balance; they wore similar styles of armor, though while Link's was likely hand-me-down or otherwise used, Kafei's would be brand new and all his. If he only just bought it, it would mean that they could potentially be very good but could hamper his movement. If he always used the same armor it would mean he had broken into it, but that could also mean that it could potentially have hidden flaws through age. Sword-wise, Link could tell Kafei was the superior; both had an opportunity to examine their weapons, and while Link's choice; a shorter sword with a shield; fit what he felt was his best fighting style, Kafei's was a proper dueling sword; much longer, pointed and better balanced, with a double-handed grip. He only wore a buckler, but beyond that it was likely he would use his sword with both hands.

Link managed to hear the announcer ask for the readiness of the fighters. Link saw Kafei raise his sword in compliance, and he mimicked his movements. With that done, the announcer left the arena, and the horns sounded. The battle had begun.

Link took a few very careful strides towards the center of the arena, carefully eying his opponent and watching his stance. Kafei strolled with obvious confidence, his sword held in a firm grip in one hand as he did. Link was almost certain that, if he threw off his swagger, he could take him down.

But Link noted something as he got closer. Kafei was not just tall, but once the ruffles of his outfit were of and replaced with dueling armor it showed that he had an amazing physique. The young man had a body built almost perfectly for this sort of practice; dueling and swordplay. Link suddenly realized that his previous physical advantages would get him absolutely nowhere.

Kafei laughed aloud. "Is that all you could afford, commoner?" he asked, "A cheap broadsword and a slab of wood? Hardly a challenge."

"You still smell, outfit or not," Link retorted back, trying to keep his cool.

"Insults will get you nowhere, peasant," Kafei said, bringing his sword together in both hands, "I save that show for when I'm in court. Here and now, it's business, and business is going to be very short and to the point."

Link gulped. He tried not to look anxious. He brought his shield up between himself and his opponent.

Kafei just laughed. "That stance will get you nowhere!" he shouted before he immediately began a forward rush.

Link managed to jump away before the first sword blow landed, followed by a loud gasp from the crowd. Stance or no, he kept the shield between himself and the opponent. If his strategy was to work at all, he had to make sure that he could outlast Kafei for as long as possible...but with such speed and ferocity in his opponent's attacks, Link wasn't sure if he could last that long.

Kafei quickly got up and spun his sword around, knocking away any dirt that got on the blade from his hastened strike. Wordlessly, he moved forward, his sword pointed straight ahead in both hands. With a yell, he struck, and the fight had begun in earnest...

* * *

Upon the box, the courtesans were chuckling at Link's feeble attempts at defending himself. Duke Ingo in particular was boasting of his son's skill, while some of the less enthusiastic nobles either ignored it entirely or began placing bets to see how long the challenger would last.

Zelda sat closer to the front, a distance away from her normal place by her father. She wanted to make sure she got a good look at everything. She could see how badly Link was doing and it made her cringe, but she did he best to keep her hopes from tumbling down.

"Lady Zelda!"

Zelda turned to her left. Some of the girls who had been in the crowd that harassed Link at the feast from earlier were also in the box. They, along with all the youngsters, wanted a good view of the fight below.

"That's your commoner friend down there, isn't it?" the girl asked.

"He's not common...and yes, if you're asking," Zelda said, making it a point to defend her friend.

"We all know that Kafei's the better fighter," a second girl said, "But we see that your...Link...has some potential. We wanted to raise the stakes of this fight and make it interesting."

"Meaning?" Zelda asked.

"Well...it's often a customary honor of the princess to give a reward to victors of tourneys," the first girl said, "So...how about this; winner gets a kiss from the princess? It would make it interesting to see how the ending turns out."

Zelda looked down at the fight with thought. Link was clearly outmatched by the more skilled Kafei in this fight, but from what Zelda could see he was also managing to put his own skills into full advantage. There was a slight chance...a very slight chance...

If she said no, she'd be looked down as overcautious. If she said yes, and Link lost, it would put salt on both of their wounds as she all but blessed any further union between her house and Kafei's. It was a very difficult decision.

"Well, Zelda?"

Zelda tightened her hand into a fist. Link was not the only one who had pride.

"It's a bet, then," Zelda said, "I kiss the winner."

The second girl giggled, "Told you she'd do it."

The first girl simply smiled knowingly. Zelda looked back at the battlefield and hoped that she hadn't just made a terrible mistake.

* * *

On the arena, Link had managed to dodge or block all of Kafei's hits. It was getting stressful on his arm; his shield was taking a beating from the bigger sword and the force was leaving a lot of welts with each successive hit. Yet despite everything, the shield held. It wasn't going to break anytime soon.

Kafei looked like he hadn't even broken a sweat. Link, meanwhile, was starting to breathe heavily. His original tactic of defeating Kafei through exhaustion was not working. Kafei's skill and athletic ability made him the superior in this fight almost indefinitely. Besides quitting, Link couldn't see any easy solution to ending this fight without it leading to serious injury on his part.

Kafei smirked. "You see, commoner, you had no chance in this battle. I baited you perfectly into this; now not only can I put you back in your place, but you can also kiss any chances of getting closer with the Princess goodbye. You may as well sell that pretty scabbard for what good it will do you by the time I'm finished with you."

Link grimaced and glared at the young man. It was then that Link noticed someone in the crowd. Just past Kafei, someone among the crowd managed to make their way to the front of the bleachers where they could be visibly seen.

It was the vendor, the one that Link had won his outfit from the previous night. His strange, bird-like outfit made him stick out like a sore thumb, yet nobody seemed to pay any attention to either him or his strange form of dress. The man's gaze was directed straight at Link, and his eyes were like clear, sharp crystals that drew his immediate focus.

The man made a gesture with his hand, then indicated a movement with his foot. Standing straight, he moved his leg so that he could stomp it down hard, standing in a diagonal with his foot outward. He then repeated the hand gesture.

Link's eyes flew wide open. How did he-

Link nearly got his head taken off when Kafei charged again. Barely managing to bring his shield up in time he took a glancing blow, causing himself to nearly trip. Kafei tried to bring in his advantage to deliver another blow, but Link somehow managed to parry it with his sword and quickly jumped out of the way. Kafei began to laugh loudly again.

"Are you just going to keep jumping away like a field mouse all day? I have better things to do than to chase after vermin!"

Link saw Kafei charge. His sword was held towards his right where he could land a blow on the side unprotected by his shield arm. It was then that Link took his initiative.

Instead of just jumping aside, Link stuck out his leg. The bull-rush of Kafei's attack left his feet vulnerable, and with the added bonus of Link's shin guards he barely even felt the aristocrat's armored leg as he tripped over him. Kafei practically tumbled three times before coming to a complete stop flat on his face, his sword thrown aside from the surprised stumble.

The taller boy lifted his head and spat out dirt, grumbling and cursing more out of shock than anger. He managed to get himself up and stare accusingly at Link.

"Wha-what in the name of the Golden Goddesses was that?! That can't be right! That must be cheating!"

Link finally got it. Kafei was trained in swordsmanship, but every attack he made had been a repeat of itself. He fought by the book, and won by the book, which left him completely vulnerable to unconventional tactics. Link could beat him through wit alone!

"I'm sure a blow to the head's against the rules too," he retorted.

Kafei quickly grabbed his dueling sword and began to circle Link cautiously. The rancher quickly began to assess the taller and experienced duelist. Kafei carried himself tall and charged forward with his sword, but despite his stances he always carried himself higher than his opponent. Link could easily trip him because he wasn't prepared for anything lower than he was. If Link kept that in mind...

"Come on, smelly," Link said with a confident smile, "Come at me!"

Kafei lunged with a loud yell.

* * *

Zelda's mood immediately turned for the better when Link suddenly managed to trip Kafei out of the blue. It was as if some epiphany was coming over him, and now he was beginning to fight more with his head than his body. He was now using Kafei's strengths and charges against him.

She couldn't help but smile. Link now had a much better chance of winning. Things were going better than she dared hoped.

"Tsk," she heard one of the girls say, "He's still a commoner..."

Zelda immediately remembered the bet. When the fight was over she had to kiss the winner. She had been in dread with the idea of kissing Kafei, but now that Link was more likely to win...

An odd thrill began to come over her. She felt her heart racing. The battle seemed more exciting than terrifying.

Yes, Link was a commoner, but he was also _her_ commoner. Things were finally going well...

* * *

Up atop one of the banners overlooking the arena, there was an unseen watcher overlooking the battle. The black-winged fairy, perched atop one of the pointed poles on his feet, observed the fight carefully. At first he was concerned that the champion he had been trailing was anything but who he had been looking for, but now that the fight had begun to turn he had become more confident that his choice had been the right one.

Perhaps now he can finally bring back the Green Warrior to-

"There you are!"

The fairy quickly turned around to the source of the noise. Three flashes of light formed at the base of the pole; one red and two orange. He recognized who they were immediately; Leaf, the Red Fairy from the Sacred Grove, and two of his cohorts.

"You won't get away this time, Kokiri-stealer!" Leaf shouted.

The shadow-fairy quickly leaped from his position and took a dive straight down. The three other fairies quickly followed him. Like falcons after a duck they flew after him, dodging and weaving between the poles supporting the arena and its bleachers. They were a sight to any who happened to be paying attention, but with most of the crowds gone to watch the fight in the arena there were few to watch the spectacle of a chase between balls of light.

The shadowy fairy flew as close to the ground as he could, following the arena so that he could potentially find a dark hole to duck into. The other fairies were in hot pursuit, occasionally getting close but never enough to catch their quarry. Eventually, the pursuer found what he was looking for; a small hole near the back of the arena's sheltered regions, where he could get in and hide in the dark.

He dove inside, but the others followed in his wake.

The three pursuers were stuck for a moment near the entrance of the hole. While they had their quarry trapped, it was far too dark to see anything in that dank part of the arena. Their prey blended in perfectly with the shadows; his glow completely gone, leaving them otherwise exposed. The only source of light came from the hole in the roof, and that didn't go very far.

Leaf was the first to dare the dark. He smiled, his body glowing brighter.

"No one to catch us here," he said, "Nowhere to run, you monster. Nowhere to escape."

His body began to glow red and balls of flame began to circle around himself, giving the group more light. The others followed suit, creating a ball of fire each that circled around each other. The resulting light lit up the dull gloom like simple candles, but it was enough for them to see what lay ahead of them.

The three flew cautiously forward, wary of their quarry's potential escape. Every shadow appeared to hide an enemy, while every corner could potentially be a refuge if not lit. They were careful to check everywhere, not daring to lose track of the entrance; the only way out of the place; for the chance that their prey might escape.

From the shadows, a sudden bolt of speed attacked in the dark. There was a harsh cry, and one of the lights went out. The fairy holding it was gone.

"Corra!" Leaf shouted.

Another thud, followed by a grunt of pain. The second light went out.

Leaf began to burn with anger. He wasn't about to give up just yet. His flames began to increase in ferocity and power as they shifted dangerously between red hues. The smell of smoke began to rise as the tips of the flames scorched the wooden ceiling above; dangerously close to setting it ablaze.

"Show yourself, coward!" the fairy shouted.

In an instant, he got his wish. The swift form of the shadow-fairy collided with his, putting out his lights and nearly stunning him. The two tumbled as they struck at each other, hitting random objects throughout the dark space. Finally, the two parted, and Leaf was able to shine light once more.

"Can't you just stop meddling and let me be?!" the shadow fairy growled, "What I'm doing is none of your concern!"

"It is our concern when you nearly lead our charges to their deaths, pretender!" Leaf shouted back. He created another ball of fire and launched it at the shadow fairy.

His target quickly dodged aside, neatly avoiding the strike. The two were at each others throats again, biting and kicking and battering each other with their wings. They did not realize the danger of their situation until they heard a very loud growl on one side of the room.

They both looked up. Leaf's fireball had missed the shadow fairy, but it did manage to strike at a padlock with such force and heat that it melted it clean off, unlocking whatever lay in the cage inside.

A pair of glowing, yellow eyes looked out at them, the owner of those eyes growling with pent-up rage. The two fairies looked at each other, and then at the monster, before both said in unison, "Uh-oh."

The monster swiftly bull-rushed its cage door, knocking it open and battering the two aside. It was easily much, much larger than they were, and easily parted the two with barely a footstep as it moved swiftly past. It began rummaging through the items in the contained space, tearing open chests and other items for something specific in and amidst everything.

Leaf looked around. The shadow fairy was gone. With a quick glance he could see that his quarry had ducked out of the entrance-hole where he came. He cursed aloud.

The monster stopped what it was doing and turned menacingly towards the fairy. Leaf immediately dimmed his glow and moved slowly out of the way. The monster growled and continued looking.

Leaf had to look for his companions before going back on the chase, and then had to get past this monster before it decided to eat him for lunch. It infuriated him to no end. This close to getting his revenge, now once again lost from his grasp.

* * *

Link had managed to trip Kafei for the third time that entire battle. The fighter was starting to get very cautious, but Link managed more than once to catch him with his guard down. The young aristocrat picked himself up from the dirt and wiped his nose, a faint trickle of blood seeping from it where he had nearly crushed it from landing on his face.

"I'll make you pay for that, commoner!" he shouted angrily.

"I don't think I'm old enough to worry about taxes yet, aristocrat!" Link replied, twirling his sword in his hand.

Link liked to think himself a fast learner, so when Kafei bull-rushed him again he managed to parry the sword strike with his own sword much in the same way Kafei had been doing with his own cautious strikes earlier in the battle. Kafei had grown so angry by now that any form of finesse was long gone. Now he was becoming wild, attacking with abandon, and leaving himself open and vulnerable.

It was in one of those rushes that Link saw his opening; Kafei was swinging his sword wildly in the air and running straight towards him, screaming loudly. He neatly danced aside and saw how exposed he was. Knowing that to land a deadly blow would likely lead to trouble, he instead struck with the flat of his blade; landing a powerful welt onto Kafei's side that he would likely feel for weeks.

Kafei let out a shout before he tripped over himself and tumbled, hitting his back straight into the wall of the arena with a powerful thud. The shockwave sent the crowd gasping and wincing in pain, and soon wild cheers began to call out for Link, the young commoner champion who managed to bounce back from failing underdog to a victor snatching his prize from the jaws of defeat.

Link nearly lost himself in the noise of the crowd. Never before had he heard so much praise before. It was enough that it nearly made his head spin with excitement. He couldn't help but lift his shield arm in answer to the crowd, which quickly turned into an uproar of excitement and cheers.

Link's eyes returned to Kafei, who was picking himself back up and staggering. Link knew that his opponent didn't have much longer; he was already starting to pant heavily from exertion. The blue-haired boy, his hair covered in dirt and his face all scuffed up and scratched from landing on the ground so much, glared evilly at him.

"I am going to tear you limb from limb," Kafei said, "until there's nothing left of you but mud!"

Link twisted his sword and lifted his shield. The time for playing games was over. When Kafei made his charge, Link answered with one of his own.

"GRRRAAAAAH!" Kafei screamed.

"TTTSSSYAAAAH!" Link shouted in reply.

Just before the two would ram into each other, they both went flying backwards. An explosion of energy suddenly rippled between the two of them as an invisible barrier began to slowly rise, dividing the two apart. Link tumbled backwards into the dirt inside of the arena, while Kafei was knocked back to the arena wall with a powerful thud.

The crowds were gasping in shock. The barrier was humming powerfully in place. Link's head began spinning again from pain rather than excitement. Something was very wrong.

Link didn't know it, but when the arena was built the Hylian wizards arranged for sigils to be placed throughout the arena grounds. The purpose was to create a dome that would ensure that in the event of a full-scale battle with monsters nothing could get at the crowds. While they kept the crowds safe from harm, it left whoever was inside trapped with the monster until a victor could be manifested.

The confused rancher approached the barrier and touched it with his sword. He immediately regretted it; electrical energy shot up through the blade and into his arm, nearly numbing it. Link took a few steps back and looked all around; the barrier encompassed the entire arena save for the five feet between it and the wall, where Kafei was busy licking his wounds. Thrums of energy and tall lines of power were all that could be seen of the barrier as it encompassed Link and kept him pinned inside.

That was when he heard the door creak open and slam with a thud. He turned around and his jaw dropped. There, standing in front of the doorway leading to the innards of the arena, was the biggest rat he had ever seen in his life. It stood twice as tall as he was, with a long, pointed snout and sharp teeth that stuck out from its upper jaw. Its giant paws made thuds as it moved forward, and its massive tail swayed back and forth as it moved. In one of its upper paws it held what looked like a gigantic, sinister-looking blade that it dragged behind it, while atop its head was an odd-looking appendage; a crown that looked haphazardly made out of junk and refuse; which gave it the look of a very sinister-looking tyrant.

The creature's yellow-green eyes glared at Link, the pupils little more than dark, black slits like a cat's. It lifted its sword, which looked as if it was half-buried in haphazard items from whatever dark corner it came out of, and it began to flail it about. Half-hewn chests, boxes, and crates, flew about the arena, bouncing off of the barriers before coming to a grinding halt on the ground. With its sword free, the beast brought it forward and let out a powerful, blood-curdling scream.

_King of Vermin Scum, Pagrat..._

One look at the monster was all Link needed to know that he was in trouble. Its gigantic sword was as long as he was tall; curved like a scimitar with notches along the back and the hilt. It looked like it could do a lot of damage with that thing. The only sane option for one such as himself was to run the heck out of there.

But Link was trapped alone with that thing. He had no way of escaping; the barriers saw to that. He had no chance of finding help either, as he could see that Kafei was long gone. He had no choice but to fight that monster, and he doubted he'd last that long.

He was really, really, really starting to regret volunteering for this.

* * *

Zelda's mood changed from ecstatic happiness to absolute horror when she saw the barrier go up. It didn't take long before the cause of it suddenly appeared; whether by accident or design, someone had released one of the monsters.

"Where did that thing come from?!" some of the courtesans were shouting. Others were calling for the mages and wizards to come to the boy's rescue. But those who were bored immediately looked up and many were taking bets to see who would survive; the boy or the monstrous rat that had made its way onto the battlefield. The King, however, was in an uproar and demanded to know who was responsible.

"Hey, Zelda!" one of the girls said, "Remember the bet; whoever wins gets a kiss from the princess!"

Zelda didn't even bother with protocol anymore. She walked right up to the girl who had spoken up and belted her in the mouth. As her friends went to her aid, Zelda turned her gaze back to the arena, her lungs constricting and her heart racing with worry and concern as Link was forced to fight for his life.

* * *

The Pagrat slowly began to approach Link, taking its time. Link raised his shield but he knew that it would do him little good; the Pagrat's sword would likely cleave it in two and take his arm off with it. The beast could see his hesitation and seemed to gain confidence, for it was starting to approach more quickly.

When the Pagrat came within striking distance it immediately raised its sword for a downward strike. Link moved out of the way just as the sword landed blade-first into the ground by his feet. The creature took a moment to try and pull its sword out of the ground again before it attempted another strike, leaving itself open.

Link tried to get in close to land a blow on the monster. Before he could, it spotted him and tried to pull out its sword much quicker. Link was barely close enough with the giant rat managed to pull out its sword, and then used its free hand to smack a powerful blow to the boy's head.

Link was sent tumbling into the energy wall, which sent powerful shocks through his body. He slumped to the ground, weakened from the effort and still sore from the battle before. He barely managed to dodge the monster again who landed another blow straight into the ground where he was sitting.

The giant rat managed to strike a glancing blow to the energy shield. It let loose a blood-curdling scream, dropping its sword and almost comically waving the pain away in its stricken hand. Link took advantage of its distraction and ducked near some of the debris to get his bearings.

It was then that he noticed that the broken chest contained weapons. With all the desperation of a hungry beggar he claws at the chest, tearing it open with his bare hands. What he saw made his heart drop in hopelessness. Most of the items were heavily damaged. All that remained free was a slingshot and a bag of hardened seeds for ammunition.

_Great_, Link thought, _he can use the seeds to freshen his smile when he's done picking his teeth with my sword._

He grabbed the slingshot and ammo anyway, quickly slipping the strings of both through the loops on his belt before grabbing his sword and making a break for it. The monster had recovered and attacked once more, its massive sword slicing through the crate he had used for cover.

He looked at the thing up and down as it tried to pull its sword out of the ground. There had to be a way to get at its weak spots; there just had to be.

* * *

_Flashbacks of when he was play-fighting with Malon began to flood his memory. He remembered finding a big stick while Malon had just her play sword, which she had whittled herself out of an elm branch. Link was flailing the stick around, trying to land a blow, but Malon always managed to dodge it._

"_Owch!" Link shouted when Malon stabbed him for the seventh time that fight, "How do you keep doing that?"_

"_Easy," his little sister said, "You're too big and clumsy with that stick. I just have to watch where you're gonna slip up and-POW!" _

"_YIKE!" Link shouted, leaping into the air as his sister smacked his behind with the flat end of the play sword, "I'm gonna get you goo-OOF!"_

_He tripped over his own stick. Malon put her foot on his back and her play-sword to his neck, lifting her free hand into the air._

"_Woohoo! Victory!"_

* * *

The Pagrat was huge, its sword was massive; and it was heavy and slow. He could tire it out until he could find a suitable weak spot.

The monster attacked again. This time Link was ready for him. Instead of dodging to one side, he ducked under the thing's massive arms, managing to land a passing blow as he did.

The monster let out a ferocious growl. Link's sword had managed to get a good, long scratch on its underbelly, but it wasn't enough to cause serious injury. Link wasn't going for a killing blow, however. He knew better than to expose himself like that. He was looking to injure it enough to tucker it out.

The two continued their deadly dance; the Pagrat attacking with its huge sword, Link dancing in close to poke, prod, or slice thin cuts into the thing's body. His sword couldn't get in close with all of its hair covering it, but he did manage to draw blood on more than one occasion.

But the Pagrat was getting more frenzied with its attacks instead of tired. It was getting desperate; drawing its sword quicker with more powerful thrusts that left smaller openings. Link wouldn't be able to keep this up for long; he was tired enough without the monster's help.

Finally, it happened; the moment of truth and the turn of the battle that would lead to the victory of one and the death of the other. Link finally screwed up.

He caught the opening, but didn't see the thing's tail. Like lightning, the Pagrat managed to grab him and shake him free of his shield and sword. He was caught in the grip of the monster's powerful tail, which squeezed him like a python; forcing the air out of him and nearly cracking a rib.

The monster didn't even bother grabbing its sword. It simply held Link up with its tail, using one of its hands to help lift him to its height. Link could do nothing as the other hand came up and easily pulled off his chain-mail suit, tossing it aside and leaving him exposed and at its mercy.

It was at that moment that Link saw Zelda out of the corner of his eye. He gulped and tried to hide his tears. He couldn't bear to let her see him so scared and so willing to just give up the very list time they-

What was she doing?

Zelda was trying to get his attention. With the roar of the crowd Link couldn't hear her voice, but he could see her pointing. She was making signs with her hands and pointing at her head...no, her circlet. Her crow-

Link looked back at the monstrous rat who was licking his lips. Link could smell the thing's rank breath and it was enough to make him choke. But that didn't stop him long enough to get a good look at the crown on the thing's head.

The crown was made of rubbish, refuse, trash, and the like, but it was woven together as if by a master craftsman. Several points on it pointed skyward and a single eye sat in its center as decoration. It didn't look like much because it was made of garbage, but the obvious time it took to make that thing must have meant it was important to its wearer.

Link had no idea what drove him to do it, but he reached into his belt loop and pulled out the slingshot. He carefully aimed at the monster and pulled back as hard as he could before letting go; getting it right in the eye.

The Pagrat screamed and let go with its arm, its tail lengthening and keeping him away from its head. It made as if it was going to slam him against the ground, but Link managed to get another good shot at the crown on its head. Pulling the slingshot back, he made a split-second shot and fired another seed.

It was a glancing blow, but it was enough to knock the crown ajar. Without any support it came off and rolled easily off of the Pagrat's giant head, down its back, and across the arena.

The Pagrat's original temperamental demeanor was replaced almost immediately by panic. It dropped Link like a stone and began to follow the crown at full speed, completely forgetting its sword. Link quickly got up and grabbed his own weapons as fast as he could. By the time he had grabbed his sword the monster had gotten the crown and it was now bull-rushing the young man; intent to trample him to the ground.

Link acted without thinking, without knowing if what he was doing would work. All he could do was lift his sword and cry out to the air around him.

"HEEYAAAAAAAH!"

* * *

There was silence in the arena. No one could move, and most hardly dared breathe. All anyone could do was focus their eyes upon the body that lay on the ground; the body of a gigantic rat, a crown of rubbish still clutched in its hands.

The barrier had gone down. One of the fighters was killed, and the spell was broken. But no one cried out or cheered. All they could do was stare.

There was movement. The giant rat appeared to be stirring. Everyone began to gasp and cry out in anguish at the apparent fate of the boy. Most heartbroken of all was Zelda, whose eyes were flowing with bitter tears that she didn't even bother to hide from anyone.

But then, someone cried out in surprise. That man's cries were joined by a chorus of others before the wails of anguish became an uproar of cheering. There, pulling himself free from under the monster, was the young man who managed to beat the odds. Link had survived.

Zelda couldn't believe her eyes when she saw him stand, shaking from the battle. Her tears turned from sadness to joy. Her heart raced and nearly soared across the arena. She was amazed, awestruck, and above all full of-

...confusion. Link had come out with his sword, but suddenly dropped it at the monster's feet. Wordlessly and without even looking up at the crowd, he was running to the opposite end of the arena...

Where was he going?

* * *

Link was alive. He was alive out of sheer stroke of luck. All the odds were against him, and he managed to win out of circumstance more than anything else. And he nearly wet himself out there on the arena.

The moment he was free, he didn't care about the cheers, the applause, or anything else. He ran as fast as his legs could carry him; out of the arena and onto the road. He ran past the stalls, the booths, and the pavilions until his legs couldn't carry him any longer, and even then he didn't stop until he could find someplace to hide in a corner and sit out until the shaking stopped.

Link was never more terrified than he was at that moment. His teeth were clattering, his knees knocking, and his hands shaking so fast that he couldn't hold onto anything without it falling from his grip. He would have been in tears if his eyes weren't so bulged with fear that they swelled over his tear ducts.

At last, he calmed enough, and then the tears began. He never felt so ashamed to be so afraid in his whole life. His life had been at stake, he nearly died in front of his best friend and had almost given up. He was on the verge of collapsing through exhaustion, and even though he survived he _fled_. Like a coward, he fled.

Link had been sitting there for what felt like hours even though it had only been a few minutes. It was then that he finally noticed the strange, floating ball of light in front of his face.

"Hey! Can you hear me in there?"

Link nearly screamed and tried to swat the thing away. The little winged creature managed to dodge the blows before it finally caught his hand in what felt like an iron grip; surprising for its size. Link tried to pull his hand free but he couldn't...and then he realized just how exhausted he really was.

"Geez, you gonna calm down or what, kid? You nearly squashed me there."

Link finally calmed enough to start breathing normally. He managed to swallow the lump in his throat and spoke. "Y...you're a fairy..."

"Um, what gave me away? The flittering wings or the glowing body?"

Link shook his head. "I must be dreaming," he said, "This is all a bad dream."

"Uuuuuh, I don't know about bad dream, kid...but if it is it's going to get worse if you don't come with me!"

He felt the thing tug on him with surprising strength. Link stopped and finally managed to pull his arm back, causing the creature to flutter about in surprise before it flew back to his face.

"Come on! Come on! I need you to come with me!"

"Hold it," Link said, "I have...no idea who you are. What do you mean things are going to get worse? And where are you taking me!"

"Listen, kid," the fairy said, "I don't have time to explain right now! You're whole world is in terrible danger! You're in terrible danger!"

Link's heart froze. That voice. He recognized that voice.

It was the voice in his nightmare.

_You're in danger..._

_...terrible danger..._

_You're in terrible danger..._

To be continued...

* * *

**Kerian**: I've said it before and I will say it again, it feels SOOOOOO GOOOD to be back again!

_Darin:_ You're telling me!

**Kerian**: So, things are taking an interesting turn. I think we've taken a glimpse at our two villains, but who could they be? I wonder, and I bet you're wondering too. I suppose we'll both find out in the next chapter.

_Darin:_ Oh no, not this again.

**Kerian**: What?

_Darin_: You know, you're such a tease. Can't you just tell them for once?!

**Kerian**: I could...but then what would the point be of all these cliffhangers?

_Darin:_ *facepalm*

**Kerian**: Anyway, I'll bid you all adieu for now. Time to work on the next chapter, which is going to be just as exciting as this last one. Until then, this has been Kerian Halcyon and Darin, and we, out!

-Kerian and Darin


	5. Chapter 4: Dark Wings, Dark Words

**The Legend of Zelda**

The Lost Realm

Chapter 4: Dark Wings, Dark Words

* * *

"Listen, kid," the fairy said, "I don't have time to explain right now! You're whole world is in terrible danger! You're in terrible danger!"

Link shook his head suddenly, trying to get the nightmarish images out of his head. "Wait...what danger? What are you talking about?"

"This land of yours is in trouble!" the fairy repeated, "Something really bad's going to happen to it. Everything is going to fall to pieces if you don't come with me right now!"

The fairy flew over and grabbed Link's arm, trying to tug him along. Link managed to get his bearings and tug back, getting the fairy to let go.

"I have no idea what you're talking about," Link protested, "I don't want to go with you anywhere!"

The fairy stopped and looked at him, apparently confused. "But...you're the Green Warrior. You have to come! That's who they told me to look for; a green warrior!"

"Warrior?" Link said, "Warrior?! I'm no warrior, I'm barely even a rancher let alone a warrior!"

"But...back in the arena-"

"Yeah, that was an accident," Link said, "And I'm never going to go through that again, not as long as I live! You can count this whole warrior-thing out! I'm not doing it!"

The fairy looked crestfallen. He tried to come closer. "But...but I need you."

"Yeah, you're not the only one who does, but I'm telling her off too. If Zelda wants a guard she can go look somewhere else, there is no way I am going through that again!"

Link got up and tried to run off. The fairy attempted to follow him, but a loud noise like thunder caught them both off guard and stopped them in their tracks.

"THERE YOU ARE!"

Link turned around. The black fairy was suddenly beset upon by dozens of others, almost all of them orange in color, who quickly pinned him to the ground. The fairy struggled as much as he could but it was too late; he was overwhelmed by sheer numbers.

One bigger fairy, whose body and wings were red, fluttered nearby and appeared to be the leader; giving out orders with abandon.

"Corra, Nevis, make sure he's pinned tight. Don't let him escape!"

Link looked confused. He was even more so when the red fairy approached him.

"You there...where's your guardian?" the fairy demanded.

"I...uh, what?" Link asked.

"Your fairy, kid! Where's he gone?!"

"I...I don't have one..."

"Leaf, the thief must have dragged that boy's guardian off somewhere!" one of the fairies shouted.

Leaf growled. "Don't let him leave," the red fairy said, indicating to Link before flying down to join the others.

Link realized he had nowhere to go as more orange fairies soon crowded around him. If the shadow fairy had enough strength to nearly tug him away on its own, these ones likely had more than enough and in his weakened state he could do nothing to stop them. He watched as the red fairy approached the black one; a ball of fire suddenly appearing over his head.

"Alright, you," he growled, "Where's his guardian?"

The shadow fairy didn't answer.

"Speak up," the red fairy hissed, "Or scream, I don't care which. Only you'll certainly be doing one pretty soon."

The shadow fairy tried to struggle but didn't reply. He merely glared.

The red flames above the other fairy began to glow hotter. "Let's see how you'll talk after I singe your wings off..."

"LEAF! Stop this at once!"

Everyone looked up. Several new fairies began to drift down from a hiding place in the rooftops. One was green, another was blue, and they were both accompanied by attendants of some kind.

"You cannot do this," the green one said, "As much as he deserves punishment, torturing him for information is not the solution. It is not our way!"

"It is when he dares to steal another of our own!" The red one shouted, "I ought to burn him into a crisp, here and now!"

"But he is not one of our own!" the blue one said, flying up close to Link's face, "Look at him! He is too old; his outfit is a replica of ours, he isn't a Kokiri!"

The red one, Leaf, flew up close to Link to examine him further. Link could feel the heat of the fairy's anger, causing his hear to race, but he didn't bother to speak up. He was in it deep enough as it already was.

"How do you know, Neri?" Leaf asked, "Do you have proof?"

"I saw him wandering with some of the Hylians, all of them with red hair," the blue one said, "He's a Hylian."

Leaf glared at Link. "Is that true?"

Link nodded.

The red fairy grunted. "So he's a Hylian. So what? We still need to deal with this one. He nearly killed my two companions, and me as well."

"In self defense!" the shadow fairy shouted before being beaten back by the orange fairies again.

Leaf glared at him, then back to the other two. "Well?! What should we do with him, if we cannot kill him or properly punish him? We all agreed that he is NOT going back to the forest with us, that much is clear."

The blue one, Neri, sighed. "Yes, we remember. Ciela saw a peddler with cages and birds and rare creatures for sale. We can send him there. I'm sure he won't be any trouble anymore."

"You can't do this to me!" the shadow fairy protested, "I nearly completed my mission! The Green Warrior is right there! If you take me away now your entire surface world is doomed!"

Leaf laughed. "I see no warrior here. Only a boy dressed in green clothing. Take him away to this peddler!"

Link watched as the orange fairies quickly carted the black one off. The blue one gave Link another look before she too disappeared, followed by the green and red one. Soon, Link was alone again and even more bewildered than when this all started.

* * *

For a time, Link wandered to and fro from booth to booth, staying out of sight as he tried to go to the one place he felt safe. All he wanted for now was for this day to end, and end quickly so that his nightmare could be over. His legs were still shaking and he was immensely tired, and so the only thing he wanted was his bed.

More than once he had to hide from a big crowd. Everyone that was at the arena saw his performance and was likely looking for him. Guards occasionally began putting up posters of him asking for his whereabouts, and he even spotted a couple of Gerudo asking around for him for reasons that made him blush. But he did his best to avoid everyone as best as he could. The last thing he needed was to explain his cowardice.

Eventually he managed to get himself close enough to home that he could see it over the crowds and the booths. He nearly sighed aloud with relief. All of that dodging and hiding would finally be over, and he could at long last get some sleep.

He had gone down a small alley when he noticed a figure standing at the end. Confused, he looked up; trying to shield the afternoon sun in his eyes. He froze.

"Finally found you, peasant," Kafei said wickedly.

Link stood up. He immediately saw what he was up against. Kafei appeared to have been rested since their encounter, and not only was he armed but he wasn't alone. Link did the only sane option; he ran for his life.

"After him!" he managed to hear Kafei scream behind him.

Link was immensely tired. His body could give out at any moment, but he knew full well that if he fell now he might never get up again. His best bet was to run, perhaps get help.

But the more he ran, the more he noticed that there were no guards. In fact, most of the Festival grounds were all but devoid of life. Where was everyone?

It didn't matter. Link heard the sounds of his aggressors gaining. He kept going, tearing down as much as he could to slow his chasers down; crates of food, baskets, entire stalls with no one to protest their destruction. It didn't matter; his pursuers were gaining.

The chase eventually came to its unfortunate conclusion. Link tumbled, his foot caught on a stake used to keep a pavilion stable. He tried to get up, but he soon had his aggressors on top of him. He tried his hardest to struggle, but there were too many and he was still too exhausted to put up much of a fight. There was nowhere for him to go; he was pinned.

"Hold him up," he heard Kafei say over the din.

Link was brought upright. His face was covered in dirt, but he still managed to be able to see Kafei's form standing over him. Kafei didn't look too much better than he did; his face was scuffed up from landing on the ground so much, and he looked like he was walking on a limp. But his expression looked like a mix between triumph and barely controlled rage, which further exaggerated his less-than-noble features.

"You, peasant," he growled, "Are going to pay for making a fool out of me. NO ONE makes a fool out of the next Duke of Kakariko!"

Link gulped. He was in a lot of pain, and knew that he didn't need anymore. Dignity was out the window; if he wanted to survive he would have to play the coward's way out.

"Please, Ka-milord, you don't have to worry about me anymore," he pleaded, "I won't be a guard; I'm done with swordplay. I'll even sell that scabbard I got from the king, I won't be a problem. I swear!"

"Oh, you won't be a problem, that's for sure," Kafei said, "Not to me or to the good princess, your ex-friend. My father was going to go into negotiations with his majesty to have me propose to her for marriage...and even though you made a fool out of me, money will more than make up the king's mind. I'll make sure that your face is never seen again in the entirety of Hyrule Castle, let alone anywhere near Princess Zelda!"

Link felt his jaw drop. His heart felt like it had just landed at the bottom of his stomach. He couldn't believe what Kafei just said...Kafei, proposing to Zelda...he...

That was the plan all along; the entire duel. It was to make Kafei look good so that Zelda's father could potentially consider him as a future suitor. By showing up Kafei in battle, Link not only disgraced and likely ruined any chances of Kafei getting Zelda's hand, but he had put himself in mortal danger.

"Please," Link said, "Let me go..."

"Not before giving you just punishment," Kafei grinned, "Oh sure, you won't be a guard, but I don't think that's enough. I'm going to make sure that your future as a rancher is blotted out as well!"

Link felt his heart race as Kafei drew his dueling sword from its sheath. The boys who had him pinned quickly moved him towards a nearby barrel. Link struggled to try and get away, but even his desperation wasn't enough; his body was failing him and likely wouldn't survive this.

"One hand should be enough," Kafei said, readying the sword, "And if you tell anyone about this, I'll make sure they all get it; your sister, your parents, your entire ranch will burn to the ground, and no one of any real worth will lose any sleep over any of it!"

Link let out a piercing wail of anguish as Kafei raised his sword.

TSSTAAAANG!

Something struck the sword, knocking it clean from Kafei's hands.

In an instant things changed. Panic ensued as the pavilion the boys were next to collapsed on top of them. The sound of impacts; fist-falls on unprotected bodies and loud kicks and even occasional crunching sounds as a rib or wrist broke; echoed in the air, followed by the panicked cries of nobles never in a fair fight and the painful wails of those afflicted.

When the dust cleared and the wind blew aside the pavilion, Link saw his rescuer.

There, standing before him, was a tall, dark stranger dressed in dark robes and wearing a strange cap...a familiar-looking cap.

The figure held Kafei by the scruff of his neck, easily standing taller and more fiercer than Kafei or anyone else ever could. Link almost thought the man could have been a noble, but he hadn't seen his visage at all during the feast earlier. No, this was a newcomer, and likely one that had passed upon them by chance.

"L-let me...go..." Kafei grunted.

"You are in no position to make demands," the figure stated, as calm and cooly as if he was regarding the weather.

"I WILL demand! Let me go, I...I am the son of Du-WAAGH!"

The figure threw him upon the ground. With little effort, he reached down and smacked the boy full in the face. Kafei let out a loud, high-pitched yell and held his face from the pain.

"Y-y-you...how dare y-AAA!"

Another slap in the face. "You sicken me, worm," the figure said, "I care not of your lineage or whose dogs will be at my heels if you so threaten. Attempt to tyrannize me again and the next mark I land upon your face will be permanent. Now, BEGONE!"

Kafei needed no second bidding. He didn't even bother grabbing his sword as he ran quickly after the others.

Link was dumbfounded by what he had seen. This man had stood up against Kafei, a noble, regardless of the consequences. Link knew that Kafei was likely half his age or less, but that still warranted guts. Most, in fact the vast majority of commoners, wouldn't dare cross anyone of noble blood regardless of their age.

The figure turned towards Link and approached him. The boy was cautious; the man was terrifying to behold, and he likely could break Link in half if that was his choosing. His intentions were never mentioned; he had simply seen Kafei off. That could have meant anything.

The figure bent to one knee and looked at Link. Link dared to look back. Wordlessly, the man reached out and with one hand picked Link back up on his feet.

"That was a very cowardly scream you made there," the man remarked, "Very unlike a warrior."

Link nervously rubbed his arm. "I'm...not a warrior..."

"I can see that...but your actions in the arena spoke otherwise."

Link winced. "I...take it you saw that?"

"Half the kingdom of Hyrule saw it," the man remarked, "It's very likely that they'll be talking about it for some time. The Pagrat wasn't going to be introduced into the fight until a group could be established, and that group was going to be highly trained warriors. You killed the beast single-handed."

Link looked up at the man. "You were going to participate?"

"I'm a swordsman, and any swordsman would be a fool not to think on it," the man replied.

"It's...a lot harder than it looks..."

"No harder than trying to keep alive, and right now for you that difficulty just doubled."

Link looked confused at first, but then it hit him like a ton of bricks. Kafei was driven off for now, but he would be back, and if his efforts had shown anything it was that he would definitely keep his word.

_If you tell anyone about this, I'll make sure they all get it; your sister, your parents, your entire ranch will burn to the ground, and no one of any real worth will lose any sleep over any of it!_

Kafei's words stung, but they were true. It was the difference between commoners and nobles; the nobles owned most of the land and could have their way with it, while the common folk were little more than animals bending to their whims. If Kafei had the ranch burned, there would be some disagreement and disappointment, but it would account to nothing in history. His entire family could lose everything...and it was all his fault.

"W...what should I do?"

The figure looked down at him. "You're asking me?"

Link slowly nodded.

The figure smiled. "My advice...run."

Link blinked. "Run? But...that's a coward's way out."

"Was it a fearless hero who pulled himself free of his dead enemy before dropping his sword and running away from the battlefield?" the figure asked.

Link bit his lip and held his silence.

"Take my advice, kid. Cowardice is a stupid man's way of staying smart. Cowards make away with infinitely more than any brave man ever did. My advice to you is this; run now, so you can live another day, and take your vengeance when you can."

"...My...vengeance?"

"Think, boy," the man growled, "If I hadn't thought you could accomplish it, I would have left you to die. You showed me something out there, and so I am giving you an opportunity. Do. Not. Spoil. It. Am I clear."

Link nodded slowly. He could feel the icy talons in his gut again. The man's words were true.

"Now, run," the man said, "Run but always look back; always prepare for the day that it will be you ordering that pig's hand lopped off, not the other way around."

The man stood up again and began to walk off. Link watched him go, dumbstruck and unsure of what to do more so than ever. Finally, he spoke.

"Wait!"

The man stopped.

"I..." Link said hesitantly, "I don't know your name..."

The man chuckled his response. "I am nobody," he said, "Well...not yet, anyway..."

And as Link watched him go, he realized that he was more afraid of that man than he was even Kafei, for the man radiated fear. He would never forget the way he walked, so sure of himself, the way his cap, so much like his own, seemed to sway with the wind proudly, or how his light blue hair covered one side of his face, leaving it to mystery as to why...

* * *

When Link finally made it back home, the first thing he did was make his way up to his bed. He didn't cry, he didn't sleep, he just sat on his bed and stared at the opposite wall. He was too emotionally drained to do anything else. He sat there for what felt like hours, until eventually he managed to find the strength to look around.

His bedroom. His home. For years, it had been like a sanctuary to him; a safe place where he could grow up in peace. He had taken it all for granted back then, and foolishly wanted more. Foolish, the idea of becoming a guard for the princess, close to his best friend, seemed to catch his fancy. And now he paid the price.

The stranger was right. If he didn't leave now, his family would pay too. He couldn't allow that. He had to escape; had to make them safe.

He had no idea how he found the energy to pack, but pack he did. He only grabbed what he knew were the essentials; a canteen, some rope, just a few clothes, a knife, a kit to hold medicine and bandages, and a few other odds and ends. He had no idea how he managed to, but he still had a hold of the slingshot he acquired during the battle with the Pagrat, and so he kept that as well; fitting it on the end of his belt.

It didn't take much for Link to realize that the one thing that would make him stand out was also his best asset. His outfit would likely be easily spotted in a crowd, but he knew that he wouldn't be going to populated areas of great description where he was going. The green would help him blend into the grass surrounding the festival grounds and help him to escape, and he couldn't do without the pockets and protection the outfit provided with its layer of chain mail within. Everything else could go into a pouch on his belt, or at the end of a walking stick tied to a bundle...or within various pockets in his outfit.

He realized that there were only a few places he could go; some southern villages perhaps, and maybe into the province of Ordon. Link had overheard the fairies say that his outfit looked a lot like that of a Kokiri; perhaps he could find some means to persuade them to allow him to tag along when he got to the edge of the forest. There could be a chance that he could find a temporary home in the trees until it could be safe to return...though whenever that would happen, he didn't know.

Finally, he looked at himself in the mirror. He was almost completely ready. Save for some rupees and food, which he could get downstairs, he was all prepared to go. All he needed was his swo-

He stopped that thought in its tracks. Putting down his bundle and his bag, he undid the belt on his chest and pulled off the scabbard from across his back. He examined it once more, daring to admire its beauty. It was truly a kingly gift...one that he did not deserve.

He placed it on his dresser. Reaching into one of his drawers he pulled out a scrap of parchment and a stick of charcoal. He quickly scribbled on the paper in Hylian, folded the parchment, and put it under the scabbard. He forced the tear about to fall from his eye back into its place, and took his things.

The letter had three words; _I am sorry_.

* * *

It was starting to get near to dusk by the time Link made his way out of the ranch and back among the crowds. Already it was dark enough that no one paid him any heed any longer, though he knew that he couldn't hide in a crowd. Guards were still looking for him and the sounds of Kafei's cohorts echoing angrily amidst the people kept him on his toes. In order to escape, he had to go to the one place he had wanted to avoid in order to find a way around everyone; the arena.

He found a good spot to hide near where he had originally readied himself for battle. He could wait here until dusk; the festivities will have died down enough in places that he could escape in the long grass and make headway until he was far enough that he could risk slowing down. He would then use some of the stars to make his way east, and then the sun when it rose across the sky. He couldn't afford to rest until he was sufficiently far enough away that a stray horse or cart wouldn't find him and thus give away his location.

His plan was foolproof; foolproof in the sense that it would work once he got past the crowds. All he needed to do was wait; he could get himself some sleep until-

"LINK! Thank the Goddesses, I found you!"

Any hope he had for escape now was gone.

Link was all but blindsided by Zelda who had quickly embraced him from out of nowhere in the darkness. Before he could do anything she was holding him tight and had suddenly kissed his cheek. Link finally managed to find the strength to shake her off despite the sudden shock.

"Wha-whe-Zelda! What was that for?! Why'd you kiss me?"

Zelda laughed nervously and rubbed at her arm. "It's...a long story, I'll tell you later. Where have you been? Everyone's been looking for you! Father had the knights get together a search party, we've been combing the Festival grounds all da-"

It was then that Zelda noticed Link's attire, and his walking stick and bundle. Link doubted she could see in this light, but he didn't doubt he also looked exhausted. He hoped against all hope, prayed to every Goddess under the sun that he could avoid this moment.

"Wh...where's your scabbard?" she asked hesitantly, "And...why do you have that bundle."

Link sighed. He did not want to do this, but he knew that simply standing there would get him nowhere. If he remained, there was a very good chance that Kafei would spot him before long.

"I am leaving, Zelda," Link finally said.

Zelda gave a half-hearted chuckle. "What do you mean you're leaving?"

"Just what I said. I'm leaving. I'm running away."

"Why? How can you run away? You've got your whole life ahead of you! You just won-"

"Open your eyes, Zelda!" Link finally cried out. The sudden raising of his voice surprised his friend a little more than he wanted, but he was done being nice. "We live in two different worlds. You're royalty, I'm a commoner. We can't keep living like this. _I_ can't keep living like this."

"L...Link I...I don't understand..."

"No, you don't. I think that's the problem. You don't understand just how different we are. You have everything, Zelda. Power, money, protection. I'm born out of nothing, and I am reminded of that by the people who come from yours every day, whenever I'm around you and they think you can't overhear. I'm not even 15 years old yet and already my life is being threatened because of our relationship...or perhaps it's been threatened since day one and I've been too ignorant to see it before."

"If this is about Kafei, forget about him," Zelda said, her eyes starting to water from the severity of Link's words, "He won't bother you anymore; I'll talk to father and-"

"It's too late for that, Zelda," Link said, "He got to him first. Him and his father."

Zelda stared at him. "What are you talking about?"

"The fight? That whole thing was staged to make your father impressed by Kafei's performance as a fighter. His dad's been wanting to make him a suitor for you; a suitor for your hand, Zelda. They all but agreed to it today. He told me that as he nearly tried to cut my hand off!"

"What?!" Zelda said in dismay, "That's not possible! He can't!"

"He can and he will," Link said, "The fact that I made a fool of him made me a target. Now I have to run, or else he'll come back for me and not only finish the job but kill my family as well or worse; ruin us, turn us into the street urchins that he thinks we are. And no amount of protection from the princess will save us, because in four years time he'll wed you, and a year later you'll likely produce the next heir, and you'll be too busy being groomed to become queen to even notice a damn thing!"

Zelda was now in tears. She let them flow. She slowly tried to approach her friend but Link took a step back.

"Link...please...don't do this..."

"It's done, Zelda. If I don't go, my family will be ruined, and nobody of importance will care."

"I care, Link."

"Then STOP CARING!"

The room was full of stunned silence. Zelda's eyes betrayed that she was heartbroken. Link tried his best to harden his own heart lest he too fall apart into tears. He had to be strong. If he was ever going to come back and make a difference, he had to be. He couldn't let this break him.

It was at that moment that everything changed. The silence was broken between the two, not by tears or further pleas...but by screaming.

The two of them drew their eyes out the door and into the arena. While they had been arguing, there had been announcers outside proclaiming the winner of that night's tourney. Something was happening, causing the crowd to scream with fright and for soldiers to shout. Something was terribly wrong.

Link was first to rush to the door and opened it to take a peek. What he saw chilled him to the bone. Bodies, everywhere; hacked and hewn from battle. Armor lay rent in pieces, wounded lay groaning and crying for mercy, and the dead were starting to gather late afternoon flies. All around the smell of spilt blood, the kind expected in a tournament, lay around them, but it was to be expected. What made everything different was the winner's circle; instead of a group of winners, only one man stood, the others surrounding him lying on the ground; seasoned swordsmen, all; in pools of red.

Link immediately recognized him; the mysterious figure in dark robes...

"What is it?" Zelda asked, wiping her tears.

Link shushed her. "Your father might be in danger."

She gasped but kept her silence. They were dangerously close to the winner's circle, which stood just ten or so yards from their position. The man stood holding a terrifying sword in his left hand. When it came into view, Link could see that the sword was black and pointed like a saber, but glowed an unnatural, red glow that seemed to shimmer with diamond-like shapes at odd angles. The man stood talking to the king; Link managed to hear his voice, clear as a whistle, even from this distance. Somehow, the man was making himself heard in a way that was not normal.

"King of Hyrule," the man said, "You have something that belongs to me. I have come to claim it as my prize."

Link managed to hear the king's shouts in reply. "You dare to stand and threaten the king in such a manner as this?!"

"I dare and defy, oh king, for you are not my monarch. I bow to no one!"

"Then you will kneel in chains!"

Link watched the king stand and shout out. "Guards! Guards! Seize this man at once!"

It was then that Link saw something truly terrifying.

The man slowly began to raise himself up from the ground, gusts of wind billowing out from under his robes. Raising his right hand, he made a gesture at the king. With a massive gust of wind the great, hulking monarch was suddenly thrown backwards into his throne, which crumbled under his weight and from the force of the blow. Zelda gasped fearfully but did not move a muscle.

By now the guards were rushing in on all sides. Link could see that the man's confidence didn't waver, but he knew that not even he could deal with the entirety of the King's guard. They were in great numbers, some of them the best swordsmen in the land, and they even had mages among their ranks. It would take more than just skill in the dark arts to defeat an army of knights.

The man simply chuckled. He raised his sword and...spoke to it.

"Care to deal with these mongrels, my companion?" he asked.

Link shuddered. The sword spoke back.

"With pleasure, my friend," the thing said in a voice that was oddly metallic.

On its own power the sword floated in the air. It began to twist and change its shape with red points and diamond-like flecks of light dancing across its surface. Suddenly it thrust itself forward to the first group of guards at lightning speed, and Link could see immediately how the man managed to take so many seasoned warriors in a single instant. The sword simply did it for him.

The thing let loose a metallic, cackling laugh that echoed throughout the emptying arena. It easily parried the attacks of the guards, puncturing great holes in their armor, before swiftly heading to the opposite end to deal with the guards there. All the while it kept laughing; a mocking, echoing thing that struck the very soul.

"More!" the sword spoke, "MORE! Yes, more! Such bloodshed! Such glorious bloodshed! So much pent-up anger! SO MUCH RAGE!"

Link had to pull his eyes away from the grisly scene, and drew them once more to the man in dark robes. He slowly began to approach the king, unarmed completely save for the magic he wielded like a blade itself.

The king had gotten up. In his hands a massive greatsword stood. The giant monarch revealed that it was not lazy fat beneath his robes but pure muscle that hefted the massive weapon in one hand. The blade struck once, twice, three times in succession, taking off railing and decorations in the wood as it spun.

All three times the man had dodged with ease, his body seeming to fade away from existence only to pop back opposite of the swing. The two closed in on one another, continuing their dance for a good minute or so, before finally the king stopped and dropped his sword.

The dark robed man smiled as he held the king in place by his throat. At that point it was too much for Zelda. Before Link could even manage to grab her, she had pushed him aside and started running towards the podium where her father was now locked in combat with the stranger. Link cursed loudly but rushed after her; he wasn't going to have her get killed!

"I expected more out of you," the man said, "You are from Holodrum, are you not? The ruddy complexion of your skin suggests it. I thought your breed were quicker than this...you've been getting complacent in your time ruling upon a seat instead of at the head of an army, Season worshipper."

"What...do you want?!" the king growled, still trying to keep fight in him even as his oxygen started to run low.

"The seal," the man growled back, "Where is it?!"

"What seal?! I have no clue what you are speaking of?!"

"The Surface Seal, you dimwit...or have you already forgotten? I suppose the one who I should ask is your queen then, I am sure that she'd know, as she likely is of the same stock as that wench from long ago."

"My queen died long ago, fool! You will not get any information out of her, and if she was alive I would not give you the satisfaction of trying, you measly worm!"

With strength surprising for a man of his size, the stranger tossed the king back onto the ground and kicked him hard. The blow sent him flying back into his traveling throne, which shattered into small pieces.

"NEVER!" the man shouted, "YOU AND ALL HYLIANS ARE THE TRUE WORMS!"

"Father!"

Zelda's shout brought the man out of his angry stupor. She managed to rush to his side, away from the attacker.

The man cocked his head to one side as he looked at her. Zelda held her father tightly and stared back at him in complete terror. The man slowly began to approach with all the grace of a hunting cat, his eyes never leaving hers.

"You princess honestly never seem to change," he stated quietly, "Always...the same golden hair..."

He reached for her, and Zelda screamed.

Link had gotten behind the stranger and was holding one of the dropped swords of the dead combatants. When he saw him go for Zelda his cowardice left him. He quickly ran behind the stranger and held up his sword, ready to attack him with an upward slice.

The man seemed to disappear into thin air before Link could attack him. Acting on instinct, he swung backwards. The sword clanged loudly as the tip of the blade met the man's finger and hung there as he held it easily in his hands.

"I thought I told you to run, boy..." the man said in a voice that was neither angry nor at all upset at Link's sudden attack. It made Link's knees quiver again as the coward in him got a hold of him once more. Before he knew it he was thrown next to Zelda and her father, the sword taken from his grasp and equally tossed aside.

The man approached the three of them. His eyes glanced at them in turn, and then he raised his hand and made a gesture.

Link let out a loud cry as pure pain shot through his body. Zelda screamed aloud, the sound hurting Link worse than any pain he ever felt. The shock waves coursed through their bodies. Neither could move or get away. There was just pain; deadly, lightning pain.

The man would have continued this, but then suddenly stopped. Link could barely see anything besides the stars starting to form in the sky. He managed to catch a glimpse of the man's gaze directed towards the wreckage of the king's traveling throne nearby.

Something was there within the wreckage; something ancient, valuable, and green in color. The man seemed to steadily smile as he looked upon that object and immediately made his way towards it; his attention now devoid of the three bodies laying before him.

Link forced himself to get up, but he only managed to turn himself around and hold up his upper body with his hands. Zelda was having just a hard a time as he was, but she managed to cradle her father's head in her hands; the king unconscious and bleeding from his lip. Both of them looked upon the stranger that had managed to, almost single-handedly, turn what was a glorious day of celebration into likely the worst day of everyone's lives.

The man chuckled again as he pulled the artifact free from its resting place. It looked like some kind of raised pedestal, shaped in a bevel with the larger end going at the bottom. It was entirely green and had several patterns including what looked like the winged crest of Hyrule though lacking a Triforce anywhere on the piece. In its center was what looked like a small hole similar to a key; a hole that could neatly place a sword inside of.

"At last," the man said, "Of all the places those wretches could have hidden it...it had to be here."

The man chuckled again. The chuckle became a laugh, and that laugh became so loud that it drowned out all the noise of panic and terror across the entirety of Hyrule Field. Link covered his ears from the noise. It was loud enough that it was unbearable.

The man took his prize and approached the edge of the raised box that had been the viewing box for the king and his subjects, now reduced to broken rubble and splintered wood. He placed the object upon a table, the likely resting place of prizes the king would have handed out to the winners of the Tourney. Facing himself forward, staring due south, he reached into his robes and pulled out a sword that looked like it had seen better use. Its hilt and crossguard looked like a cross between brass and gold, but were bent out of shape and glazed over by grime and rust. The blade itself was a mess; covered in dents and chips where it had seen heavy damage. Its pommel was cracked, and the hiltstone that sat where the blade and the guard met looked as if it had been shattered.

The man took the sword in both hands and raised it into the air. He began to quietly mutter strange, dark words in a language Link could not understand. A shrill wind picked up and spun over the blade. Thunder cracked in the sky as clouds suddenly appeared overhead. Link could barely make out the features, but with every lightning crack it seemed like Link could make out the silhouette of bat wings behind the man's back and upon his head.

"With the power of the Gods," the man shouted, "And with the strength of the depths beneath, I, Vaati, Wind Mage and last of the Minish, break this seal with the blade that forged it, and thus open the gateway to the World Below!"

With a final, loud, shrill cry, the man brought the sword crashing down upon the seal and cut it neatly in half.

Immediately, the wind stopped. The thunder ceased, and the clouds disappeared from view leaving a clear night of stars. The man lifted the sword clean from the seal, which had begun glowing when he had struck it. Green lightning crackled between the two pieces before finally the seal went cold and dark; from bright green to a pallid, featureless gray.

Suddenly a thunder of a different kind began to echo across the field; not from the sky, but something deeper, beneath the very earth itself. With a groan and a grumble, the earth began to crack loudly like a seam being ripped apart on canvas. A great line began to part between the arena from the north to the south, and that line began to open wider and wider; turning a simple cut into a massive fissure.

Link could feel the entire arena rumble and shudder. All around, screams and cries could be heard as people panicked and tried to escape. Those still in the arena were trapped when its doors crumbled inward, collapsing and sealing any easy exit.

The stranger lifted himself into the air once more. Callously, he took one last look at the sword he used to do his terrible deed and tossed it aside like rubbish into the empty battlefield below. He lifted his other hand and made a gesture, whistling loudly back in the direction of the bleachers.

The black sword that the man had commanded to come alive was still busying itself with the last of the guards when it was summoned again. Wordlessly it stopped, laughing once more before it disappeared and reappeared in the man's hands. The two of them hovered together over the steadily widening fissure below before they suddenly descended; the fissure devolving in their wake into a sinkhole.

Link felt the entire arena buckle around him. Zelda let out a surprised cry. He could see her and her father sliding towards him; the box that they were lying against was slanting towards the ever-widening sinkhole below them.

Link quickly got up, ignoring his body's screams of protests. He began to help Zelda pull her father away from the danger and to the safe parts of the crumbling arena. As soon as they got the king out of the way, the viewing box collapsed and tumbled, revealing the hole that had formed had become like a massive, gaping maw; swallowing anything and anyone that couldn't get away in time.

The two couldn't get a chance to celebrate just yet as the ground beneath them began to give way. Zelda let out a scream as the board of wood she had found refuge on suddenly collapsed beneath her and dropped into the hole below.

"Zelda!"

Link leaped forward and grabbed her. Zelda tried to hang on for dear life, grabbing him with both her hands and refusing to let go. Link tried to pull her up but his body finally gave up on him. He couldn't pull her up at all; his arm simply lay hanging there like a limp doll, being just as much help as any other random wreckage and flotsam that was being pulled into the gaping, darkening hole.

"Link!" Zelda shouted, "Pull me up!"

"I'm...trying," Link said fearfully, "My arm's...gone numb..."

Link barely had a hold of anything to keep himself from falling over the edge. His leg was wrapped tightly around a piece of wreckage, and his free hand gripped a piece of wood railing for dear life. But his grip was slipping, and without his fingers to help Zelda's own grip was starting to fail her.

"Link..." Zelda said fearfully, her eyes wide and full of tears.

Link looked down at her. "Zelda, hang on!"

He felt her fingers slipping, sliding down his arm.

"Zelda!"

Her grip finally slipped. She fell into the pitch black with a loud scream.

"ZELDAAAAA!"

Link watched his best friend fall down that deep, dark, gaping hole. Everything inside of him felt the crushing weight of despair washing over him. But cruel mercy came to his aid; with a loud thunk, something wooden struck the back of his head, and his entire world went as black as the abyss that swallowed the princess forever.

To be continued...

* * *

**Kerian:** I'm gonna admit...I had a bit too much fun with this chapter.

The villains are REVEALED! And now we get to where things are really going to get good. I think that if you guys read the description and the prologue you'd agree that this fanfic was going to be a bit different than the classic bread and butter, but for those of you not convinced before I hope you are more than pleased. The plot for this fic is giving me some really good thoughts and I cannot wait to keep going. In fact, I'm going to stop this little bit of Author's notes and start continuing with writing so that I can get the next chapter released as soon as possible!

Remember to give me your thoughts on this chapter! Until next time, me out!

-Kerian


	6. Chapter 5: The Abyss Awaits No Man

**The Legend of Zelda**

The Lost Realm

Chapter 5: The Abyss Awaits No Man

* * *

Link's dreams were filled with nothing but darkness. Pitch black as far as the eye could see. There was no sound; only a dull, continuing hum that buzzed in his ears. He felt as if he was being smothered all over his body, and it was hard to breathe. Everything tasted dull, sour, and slimy, and it smelled like hot dust over a waterless plain. Lastly, his head hurt. It was a dull, aching throb that began to increase into a crescendo before slowly calming again, only to throb once more back into existence.

It was when the pain was too much that he actually managed to wake up, opening his eyes for what felt like the first time in years. He could hear muffled voices and see shapes all around him, but otherwise he couldn't tell whether or not he was awake or still dreaming. Finally he felt a wet rag prodding at his forehead, followed by soothing whispers, and he realized that he was, in fact, awake.

"M...mom?" he asked.

"Thank the goddesses," he heard his mother, Marian, say aloud, "Someone go tell Talon that he's awake."

He could hear thumping nearby; someone walking along a wood floor and down the stairs. He began to recognize his surroundings; he was covered in row after row of blankets, and he was lying on his own bed at home. A window was open, blowing in fresh air and hot wind into the room with him, explaining the dust smell in his dream. And his head hurt...unbelievably so.

"Wha...what happened?" Link asked, "Where's Zelda...?"

His mother looked hesitant for a moment. "We were worried sick when we found you," she said, "The king had managed to pull you out of the wreckage though he himself was only half alive. We expected the worst..."

Link started to stir a little more, causing his headache to become worse. "Mom...where's Zelda?"

"We...Link, you should rest. You need to save up your strength..."

"Where...is...Zelda?"

Marian bit her lip. "The princess...didn't make it..."

* * *

It had been three days since the festival ended horribly wrong. There was no joy or song in the air. Most after the events of that night had packed up or otherwise fled, leaving behind ruined, looted stalls, half-built pavilions, and many dozens upon dozens of goods in their wake. Those who remained who weren't looters or otherwise ensuring the protection of the King clung on in the vain hope that a search party could be formed to rescue any potential survivors.

In three days, the sinkhole had grown, but it had finally slowed to a crawl long since Link had passed out. Of the arena, there was nothing left; just a gigantic, gaping hole and some fence posts left to mark off lines for entering and exiting the place. The vast, gigantic opening into the ground led deep into darkness and pitch-black, going down for who knows how long. There were no screams or cries for help coming from within its depths, suggesting that either no one had survived or it was too deep to hear their pleas.

The king had been injured badly in the fight with the stranger, the magician called Vaati. A broken leg, three broken limbs, a massive concussion, and what was worried to be several spinal fractures. Nevertheless, supposedly he managed to pull himself and Link out of the wreckage left on the surface before it all gave way and tumbled beneath. But now, he was bedridden; Talon and his wife Marian offered him their bed so that he may rest and recover. Despite his wounds, the king was still wanting to try and lead a search party into the dark, to save what survivors they could find, but no one would speak aloud their hopes. After all, they all saw how deep and dark that chasm truly was.

There were worse problems, however. Though the year was called Year of the Golden Summer and it was expected to get hot, no one predicted the sudden, massive heat wave that began to sweep over the land. Most of the Zoras save those with family trapped in the depths below, had already packed up and left when the first sun-baked day to follow the disaster made its grand opening upon the Field; none could blame them, for they were, after all, water creatures with easily dried skins. The Lon family decided to let the few Zoras who remained find shelter in the few underground reservoirs and basins they kept handy throughout the ranch in times of drought.

Yet the heat was unbearable for more than just the Zoras. The Kokiri that remained feared that their clothes would catch fire from the heat. The Gerudo were beginning to consider calling this place home in the joke that it was just as warm now in the Field as it was in their home in the Gerudo Desert. Even the Gorons, who dwelled high in the depths of a volcano and regularly mined its lava-filled depths for stones to eat found that they would rather stay upon their mountain than bear the sun's unforgiving rays.

No one wanted to speak the dreaded word aloud, but all of the signs were there. Drought had come to Hyrule, and it likely would be a long and terrible one. Without rain to save them or clouds to shelter them, the crops may very well be extinguished before the harvest. If that was to be the case, then their celebration before truly would have been for naught, for it would mean another year of dreaded famine and thirst for the common folk of Hyrule...and perhaps even the royals as well.

It took Link two days to recover, and another before his mother was satisfied enough that he could survive. By then it would have been almost a week after things got bad, and the former festival-goers had begun to build themselves shelter surrounding the pit in the vain hope that they would be there when their loved ones would crawl back out in safety. Link dared to approach the edge of the pit many times, though he did not dare look down. The temptation to jump...

Never a day passed by without Link thinking of his best friend, now a victim of this tragedy. He had tried to be there for her, but because of his cowardice he failed. It was his fault; had he not have run away, he might have found refuge enough to keep himself from exhaustion, and would have had the strength to lift Zelda out of the pit...and perhaps she'd still be alive now.

Or perhaps if she never have found him hiding out in the arena...if he had stayed at the house for a little longer, or if he had been brave enough to sneak out sooner, she could have still been looking for him and drawn herself away from the arena before the disaster started. All of the scenarios in his head flooded his mind; he could have left, he could have been there for her, he could have rescued her, he could have jumped after her...

Nothing helped. Nothing helped to drown out the words that echoed in his mind; the last words that he ever said to her that carried any substantial meaning...

_Stop caring..._

Link had to walk way from the pit again for the third time that day before he got sick from the temptation. He knew that he would be solving nothing by jumping in after her, and more likely he'd get himself killed if he did. But try as he might, every time he would approach the edge the temptation became a little greater, and his resolve a little weaker.

Would he be at fault to jump?

"You know, I did say this would happen..."

Link jumped. He looked around; no one was near him, most were either by the edge of the pit or off trying to salvage some materials for more shelters. He shrugged, thinking it was in his head, and kept walking.

"Hey! Don't walk away from me!"

That time Link stopped and had a better look around. Whoever it was, there was a good chance they were either hiding or stuck, either way it was a very bad practical joke they were playing.

"Alright, where are you?!" Link growled.

"To your left a bit, under the canvas..."

Link looked where he was bid. Underneath a torn piece of tent fabric was a wooden cage held together by tough bits of leather string and locked tight with a single padlock. There, sitting there like a pile of skin and bones, sat the shadow fairy.

"You..." Link said.

"I bet you're surprised to see me," the fairy stated, "Any sane Hylian would have taken his goods and ran off after the commotion that happened the other night. I was lucky enough that the peddler was at the event when it happened, or was otherwise absent, and that the looters mistook me for some common household bug and left me alone..."

Link picked up the cage and put it down on a crate so that he could have a better look at its contents without stooping as much. The fairy did not look like he was in good shape. Bruises showed where he had been hit or mistreated by his captors, and he looked both hungry and thirsty from being cooped up in a cage for so long. Frankly, Link was surprised that he was still alive.

"What do you want?" Link asked.

The fairy looked up at him pityingly. "I wanted to help you," he said.

Link made an unconvinced grunt. "I'm sure that's what you wanted."

"Well, what else could I have wanted?" the fairy asked, "I mean, I was pretty clear when I said that you guys were in danger."

"Yeah, but you weren't clear as to how much we were in danger..."

The fairy crawled over to the bars nearest Link and held them tightly. He looked like he had tried to shake himself free a number of times but failed on every count. Up close, Link could see how gaunt and ragged he was. If it wasn't for the canvas that had covered his cage, Link doubted that he could have survived without sunstroke.

"Get me out of here," the fairy said.

Link blinked. "Why?"

"Because I can still help you," he said, his tone a little pleading, "And...maybe you can help me..."

"I don't need your help," Link said, "I don't need anyone's help."

He got up and made as if to leave. The fairy rattled the bars of his cage again.

"Don't you want to find out where your friend went?"

Link stopped in his tracks. He clenched his hand into a fist. Turning, he quickly strode up to the cage and violently grabbed it, nearly knocking its occupant silly.

"How...did you know?"

"I saw you," the fairy said when he righted himself, "Going back and forth. You've been doing that for the last three hours. No one would be doing that normally unless they had lost someone..."

"And what if I have?" Link asked, "You know where they went?!"

"Of course I do," the fairy said in an angry tone, "I live down there!"

Link looked confused. "Wait...live? What do you mean?"

"Do you think that the guy who showed up and caused all of this did it just so he could make a big hole in the ground?!" he asked, "There's a whole other world right beneath your feet! Our realms used to be connected until the ancients had it sealed. I was sent up here to find the one person who could keep that seal from breaking again, only now it's too late for that!"

Whole other world? Sealed? Connected? Link felt the migraine come back again and it made him dizzy. He had no clue what this guy was talking about. Other worlds? What did...

"_And with the strength of the depths beneath, I break this seal and thus open the gateway to the World Below!"_

Link's eyes widened.

"That thing which the stranger destroyed," he said, "It was a seal?"

"Did it look like a pedestal you'd hold a sword in?" the fairy asked, "With a hole in the middle shaped like a key? Maybe ancient markings carved on the outside?"

Link slowly nodded. "Yeah...how did you know?"

"Someone from my realm's trying to shatter ours! We were told that, if the seals were ever broken, catastrophe would run amuck throughout the known realms and chaos would reign. Only a warrior clad in green bearing a sword of fortune could save our lands from certain death...that's why I kept following those Kokiri and tried to grab you...You're our only hope."

Link couldn't believe his ears. There were other realms besides Hyrule; realms not bordered by provinces or kingdoms but lay beneath their feet; and he was destined to save one of them? That had to be the most ridiculous spheal he had ever...

But then, the fairy spoke the truth. Link wanted to know if Zelda was alive, now more than ever. If there was a chance that there was another realm, full of inhabited peoples...then maybe she was still alive...

"Alright," Link said, "Say that I believe you...what all is down there?"

The fairy looked at him oddly. "Didn't I just say? An entire realm, just like yours! Only...underground. No sun, but not dark either..."

"I didn't mean that," Link said, "You already said that someone was trying to destroy your seal. What all is down there?"

The fairy was quiet for a moment. "Lots of bad things," he finally said, "Demons, monsters...they got to us first, though we hid the seal before they could find it. The people there...they're terrified of these things."

Link nodded. "You said that I could find...my friend. Is there any chance that she's still alive?"

"Kid, I couldn't tell you," the fairy stated, "But...the passage between the realms can change how things work. Your friend wouldn't be the first to survive a fall that far into our realm, if the legends are true..."

Link took a moment and sat down. He pondered on this new information. Supposedly, an entire land unknown to either him or the rest of the world was in need of his help, that the lands were sealed away from each other and one was still missing. This land needed his help, and for reasons not quite clear sent a fairy to come fetch him. Even his little sister could come up with better stories...

But...there was a chance that Zelda was still alive...

It wasn't much, but he had no other choice.

He took out his knife and cut open some of the strings of the cage, tearing the door free from its hinges. Reaching in, he pulled the exhausted fairy out. The fairy covered his eyes as he was brought into the sun, but otherwise simply nodded his gratitude; too exhausted to do anything else.

"My name's Darin," the fairy stated.

"I'm Link..."

* * *

It didn't take much to get Darin back to full wellness. Some food and water were all that the fairy needed before he was back to his own strength. Keeping the fairy out of sight wasn't a problem; safe in his pocket, he was able to nonchalantly carry the fairy back to his house without anyone noticing.

Everywhere around him things were in a state of disorganized mess. Some of the villagers were trying to gather together and organize things while awaiting the King, while still others tried to find volunteers or aids for a search party. More than once, some tragic refugee came to him and tried to look him over, thinking he was one of their lost ones. The grief on their faces was more than he could stand.

When he finally did make it to the ranch things weren't all that better. With the king bunked in his parents' bedroom, guards and knights guarded the building and did regular patrols across the ranch grounds. The crowds were disrupting many of the animals and Link wished that they could just find somewhere else to gather together, but he knew that it couldn't be helped.

When he got to his room, he found a surprise there waiting for him.

A group of kids, some younger than he, some older, though most within his age were all gathered inside his room. Most of them looked like they were commoners like himself, but there were some who wore the fabrics of nobles even though many looked sun-worn and dirty from poor treatment. Most were busy admiring the outfit that had been laid across his bed by the time he arrived, though they all immediately stopped what they were doing and stared guiltily at him through the doorway.

"Uuuuh," Link said, "Why are you all in my room?"

No one spoke at first, but then a girl Zora with red stripes going through the sides of her head approached. "Are...are you the one called Link?"

"I am," Link said, "And you all are in my room. Get out, I have to get changed."

"Please, sir," one of the commoners said, coming down on bended knee, "My sister fell down the hole, can you help get her out?"

"My cousin was in the arena, one of the prize-fighters," another said, "He was one of the wounded when the sinkhole came down. He could be still trapped in the rubble!"

The requests and the noise came in quickly, causing Link to nearly cover his ears from the racket. Finally, Darin popped out of his pocket and flew into the center of the room.

"Enough with the requests, already!" he barked.

Few had ever seen a fairy before, but no one had ever seen one with black wings. They quickly grew silent.

"Link," he said, "Close the door and lock it...you don't want people eavesdropping."

Link did as he was told, making sure it was locked good and tight.

"Now," Link said, "Why are you all here?"

"We heard stories about how you had won the fight with the giant rat king," one of the littler ones said, "How you took him on all on your own, single-handedly!"

"Some of us actually saw you in the fight," One of the noble children said, "The fact that you beat Young Lord Kafei without any combat experience says wonders about you..."

"No one else will pay attention to us," a little girl said as she clutched her stuffed deer, "The search party group said they were waiting for the king to be well enough to give commands for one, but that could take days...our family needs us now..."

Link sighed and held up his hands for silence. "You..." he pointed to the Zora boy.

He nodded his head.

"What's your name?"

"Rauru, sir."

"Don't call me sir...I'm probably younger than you are. Who are you missing?"

"My sister, Ruto," he said, "Our father helped support the festival, she was the one who convinced him to offer you a sword for the opening fight in the arena."

"I remember," Link said, "She went down too?"

"She and my brother," another Zora, a girl, said, "I am Princess Medli, heir to Zora's Fountain. My little brother Komali was with Ruto when the attack happened. We couldn't find him in the wreckage, so I suspected that they might be together."

Link nodded, politely bowing to her out of respect. "Who else?"

"My uncle," a Goron boy said, "Dangoro, the Prize Fighter. He was with the healers when the sinkhole opened, their section of the arena caved in first."

"Who else?"

"My little sister Aryll and our pet dog. She went after him after he got spooked from the fighting and the two haven't shown up since."

Link sighed. "Anyone here know how to write?"

One of the courtesan children lifted her hand timidly.

"There's some paper and a stick of charcoal in the bottom drawer," Link said, "Pull it out and start getting a list together."

She did as she was bid to. Everyone was soon in an orderly line waiting for their turn. Link turned to the Goron boy and Rauru.

"I'm going to need some supplies," he said, "Be as discreet as you can, don't attract attention. And for the Goddesses sake, don't tell anyone else. I can't save everyone, leave that for the real search party."

The Goron boy nodded. Rauru came close and whispered in Link's ear.

"I know where the sword my father gave you is," he said, "It's still intact and should work, but I don't have a scabbard for it."

"I do," Link said, "Make sure you hide it well and get it over here, fast."

* * *

Link managed to find space in his closet to change in privacy while everyone else kept writing names. His ranching clothes were off once more, and the adventuring gear he had started this nightmare in was now coming back on. The pale-white pants, the tunic with its mail underweave, the gauntlets and shin guards that he now had come to rely on, and the belt around the middle. He had hoped for the extra bit of chain mail, despite its heavy weight and loose fit, for any extra protection was better than none, but somehow he knew that it would be better for him to travel light like this.

"Are you sure it's a good idea to play rescuer for so many people?" Darin asked him in the quiet of the closet.

Link tightened his belt and rearranged it so that the tool loops were all exposed. "If I didn't say something, they might have begged and got me caught."

"So you aren't actually going to rescue everyone?"

He bit his lip as he started to pull on his boots. "I didn't say that."

"But you know it'll only slow you down."

"Look," Link said, "I said I would help you, didn't I? I didn't say how long I would help you or if I was going to be quick about it. Besides, I am primarily rescuing Zelda. Once I find her, then I'm heading back home whether you're quest is done or not...if I happen to run into other survivors while I am down there, then I'll make sure I can help them however I can."

The fairy silently watched him as he finished getting dressed. Finally, Link pulled on the cap over his head. It was odd, but it didn't seem right just leaving it.

"You look good," Darin said, potentially out of sarcasm.

"Well, I don' feel good," Link said, "But I guess it doesn't matter how I feel does it?"

* * *

When the Goron, Gongoron, and the Zora, Rauru, managed to bring supplies Link checked inventory as he began to make his final preparations. A bag of dried fruits and meat from the storerooms along with some nuts and kernels of wheat, a couple of canteens of water, his knife, some extra rope and studs for climbing, some kindling and a flint with tinder, some rags, medical supplies like bandages, and a canvas for a shelter or a blanket. He also had the slingshot from the arena fight, the wooden shield with leather hide across the top, and the short sword.

Some of the nobles and commoners offered him good-luck charms, rupees, and other items of value they felt he might need but he wouldn't accept them. He knew that he couldn't take everything with him, and most of the items they offered had no value in an attempt at a rescue. As much as taking several bags of well over a hundred rupees each was very tempting, his conscience wouldn't bear it.

Link put everything that he deemed valuable to his immediate person in some of the pockets in his adventure gear, while the rest he tied together in a makeshift rucksack out of the canvas and some spare strips of leather he had lying around. These he tied together and would put over his back, just on the opposite end of his scabbard. All in all, he couldn't be any more ready.

Finally, he picked up the last piece of the ensemble; the scabbard. As he did, he saw the note he had left pinned beneath it. Quickly picking it up, he glanced over it; his heart heavy as he read the three words, "_I am sorry_," scribbled hastily on the paper.

He crumpled it in his hands. Never again would he abandon those he cared about. Never again would he run away from his problems. He would never make the same mistake twice.

"Right," Link said, threading the edges of his scabbard through the belt and sheathing the sword in it, "You guys have an idea where I'll take the plunge?"

"I scouted ahead at the edge of the sinkhole," Rauru said, "I managed to find a good spot where you can make your descent. There's some ledges and wreckage lining the side that looks stable. I put down a rope so that you could start the climb there."

"Good," Link said, "I hope the rope's long enough, it'll probably be a little while before we can-"

"You can't do this!"

Everyone turned around. Link felt his heart go into his throat. Despite all their best efforts, there was still one variable in their plans that he forgot to account for; his sister.

"Malon, I-"

"NO!" Malon cried out, "I won't let you! You can't go down there!"

"Someone get her to shut up," Darin whispered a bit too loudly, "She'll give us away!"

One of the common boys tried to make a grab for the young girl, but Malon was too quick, with a swift kick she sent him to the ground reeling before she quickly ran downstairs.

"MOMMA! POPPA! Link's gonna do it! He's gonna try and go down the sinkhole! MOMMY!"

Darin swore aloud. "Our cover is blown!" he shouted, "Run for it!"

Link made for the door. He stopped dead in his tracks when he heard the sound of clanging armor coming from down the hall; the guards attending to the king must have heard the commotion.

"Gerroutotheway!" Gongoron shouted, bowling Link aside before curling into a ball and careening into the hallway. Link heard a surprised shout and the sound of clanging metal as what sounded like an entire regiment toppled over from the force of the young Goron.

"No time!" Rauru shouted, "They'll be coming up the stairs! Out the window!"

Link did just that. Running across his bed and flinging the windows open wide, he leaped out of the small space and onto the rooftop, Darin close behind. Wordlessly the Zora shut the window behind him, pointing desperately to indicate which way to go.

Link immediately slid down the roof and held his hand out to catch the gutter before he fell. Immediately groups of adults came to try and stop him, but some of the kids managed to get the word around and managed to keep them from doing so. One of the noble boys, maybe even one of the same ones helping Kafei chase him not even a week ago, dove headlong into an oncoming ranch hand and bowled him over, landing the two in a mess of hay and manure on the ground.

Link jumped down and tucked his feet under, sliding into a roll before making a headlong dash out of the ranch grounds. Malon tried running after him and nearly caught up, but Link managed to get a burst of speed and rushed past her. He didn't dare look back, knowing that her face would be full of tears as her oldest brother ran towards what was likely his doom.

* * *

Link ran without stop through the ruined festival grounds, cutting corners through rubble and wreckage with the shadow fairy hot on his heels. Behind them he could hear that he stirred up a hornet's nest of trouble, as guards and ranchers were trying to get anyone and everyone they could to stop him from likely killing himself.

"Well, that's one way of getting out of here," Darin shouted, "You'd better hope that rope's where the fish-boy said it was!"

"Just shut up and keep up, will you?!" Link shouted back.

More than once they had close calls, with Link nearly stumbling or tripping over exposed wreckage and discarded bits of crockery and canvas. Somehow he managed to keep his balance and keep running. Likely the knowledge that, close behind, an army was planning on stopping him from rescuing his best friend was all the encouragement his body needed to keep from falling over or giving out from the constant breakneck pace. More than once, some yapping dogs managed to also get hot on their tails out of excitement more than anything else, but somehow Darin managed to see them off.

"You surfacers have really loud animals up here!" he shouted.

"Do you ever shut up?!"

"Hey! Somebody's got to break the monotony!"

"Keep your eye out for anyone getting too close!"

"Way ahead of you, to your right!"

Link swerved left, still heading towards the sinkhole. Some guards managed to hear the word and were trying to head him off. Link managed to duck under the worst of the wreckage, leaping over that which he couldn't duck over and tumbling behind him that which would slow his pursuers down. More than once his efforts at knocking aside a crate or a barrel was answered by tumbling and clanging metal in its wake. It seemed almost comical were it not for the seriousness of their situation.

Finally, after enough running and ducking to mistake them for a deer and a crow being chased by a pack of armored wolves, they finally made it to the sinkhole. It didn't take long before Link found the rope. He didn't have time to test its strength before he literally dived over the edge and grabbed it as he fell, nearly dislocating his arm in the process. When he hit the side with a loud thud and slid down some length of the rope, he finally realized what he has just done and nearly wet himself.

"Gods below, are you alright?!" Darin asked.

"I will be," Link said, "once I get down far enough that I can't change my mind!"

Link wasn't afraid of heights. He wasn't afraid of the dark, either, or even that claustrophobic. But if you ever looked down a massive, gaping hole in the middle of the Earth with no visible bottom, you'd understand exactly how he felt. No amount of bravery or training could have prepared him for what lay directly under him; an abyss separated from him only by a long length of rope.

Link managed to come to before he could be hanging there for too long, and managed to find the wreckage and footholds Rauru was speaking of. Slowly, he made his way downward, careful to look at where he was going as he descended. He managed to make it down a few arm-lengths when some shouting above caught his attention.

The guards had reached him. They managed to find the rope and were now looking at him as he made his way downward. He did his best to ignore them and continue his way down, knowing that there was nothing that they could do.

"Link, watch out!"

Suddenly there was a tug on the rope. Link looked up, and his jaw dropped open. Some of the guards found the edge of the rope and were starting to pull on it, hauling it up with Link still attached.

Caution thrown to the wind, Link quickly slid down the rope; letting the gloves on his hands protect him from any serious damage like rope burns. But the guards continued to pull him up. They were intent on getting him out of there.

Link managed to reach the end of the rope, but by now the guards had pulled him up some considerable way. He was no longer able to simply grab the footholds below.

"Darin!" Link shouted, "Get into my pocket!"

"What are you gonna do?!" Darin asked as he did as he was told.

"I'm gonna jump down," Link said, "Hang on!"

"Jump do-AAAAAAH!"

Link let go of the rope. He dug into the side of the sinkhole with his arms but he knew that it would only barely slow his fall. Just a couple of yards, however, and he was in the safety of the wreckage below.

Except the wreckage wasn't stable.

Almost as soon as Link touched the wood, it fell apart and crumbled beneath him. Immediately he saw his error and tried to climb up, grabbing for whatever handhold or foothold he could find in the earth. Try as he might, the red, crumbling soil fell apart in his hands and what footholds did exist were soon buried or collapsed from the avalanche caused by the falling wreckage. In mere moments Link was no longer clutching solid earth, but was now descending into empty space.

He couldn't move. He couldn't scream. He could barely even keep his gaze upwards. The only sensation he felt as he fell was the feeling of emptiness as his world around him quickly turned to pitch black from the coming darkness.

To be continued...

* * *

**Kerian**: This is an edit, if you happen to be reading this right now understand that what I'm doing is to ensure quality, so don't despair.

After hearing some (offline) mention that this chapter was a little stale/dry compared to the previous ones, I took note on how quickly I had sped through it. I think that what I'm going to do from now on is I'm going to update this fanfiction in increments; do it on a weekly basis, that way I don't rush something but I also keep myself on a deadline so I can get used to the feeling of getting something accomplished on the day or the day before it needs to be done. That way 1. you guys will always have a regular update, and 2. it gives me some time to work on other things besides the story so I don't feel as guilty when I don't get a chapter done every day. So, I updated this about...2 days ago? So I think I will update the fanfic every Thursday or Friday, that way you guys get to read the chapter and tell me what you think on that day and you don't have to worry about trying to sneak in time to read before school or work because it'll be on a weekend (that has happened to some of my readers, and I think they might have gotten in trouble for it).

Beyond that, nothing's changed. Still gonna work on this fanfic, but now I'm not going to be so spastic in updating AND I will ensure that there's spare time to proofread and double-check to make sure I get quality done. Because come to think of it the next chapter may potentially be too short to justify posting it, so I want to make sure I get it to work without drawing it out for too long or adding in too much filler to get it to be presentable. Given that has always been a learning experience for me writing-wise, this is a perfect way for me to practice professionalism in future projects. Unfortunately that makes you guys the guinea pigs...sorry about that.

Alright, I'm gonna let you go. Things to do, stuff to write, adventures to be had and what not. Until next time, me out!

-Kerian


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